Washington Wild Things - Official Web Site

GAME RECAP

Wild Things hold off Freedom for fourth straight win
Ledbetter becomes all-time wins leader in Frontier League

Washington, Pa – The Washington Wild Things, presented by Washington Federal Savings Bank, picked up a 8-4 Memorial Day win over the Florence Freedom in large part to some small ball and first baseman Nathan Messner’s two home runs and three RBI.

Wild Things starter Aaron Ledbetter (2-0) put his name in the Frontier League record book Monday as well with his 30th career victory in the league. Ledbetter passed Matt Schweitzer on the all-time list for wins after pitching 6.2 innings while striking out four and allowing two earned runs on five hits.

Nathan Messner got things started for Washington in the bottom of the first with his second home run of the young season, which was a shot over the left-field fence off Florence starter Dave Watkins for an early 1-0 advantage.

Florence took the lead in the third inning on a two-run blast off the bat of Beau Blacken, his second of the season. However, the Wild Things came back in their half of the inning. Kyle Werman scored the first run after hitting a triple to right field and heading home after a misplayed relay throw from the outfield. Jarod Rine also tripled in the inning to plate Chris Sidick and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Messner, giving the Wild Things a 4-2 lead.

Washington added to its lead when Messner put the Wild Things up 5-2 in the sixth with his second round-tripper of the ballgame.

Determined to keep Washington from making it four consecutive wins, Florence made it a one-run game in the seventh on Greg Stone’s double that brought home two runners.

In the eighth, though, the Wild Things gave themselves more breathing room as Werman moved runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Kyle Padgett came home on a passed ball while on third base, and Sidick drove home Justin Gregula on a groundout, putting Washington up 7-4. Robbie Knapp then had an RBI single in the eighth to cap things off for Washington.

The Wild Things will look to continue their winning ways during a two-game road series against the Chillicothe Paints starting Tuesday with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch at V.A. Memorial Stadium. The Wild Things return home Thursday, May 31 to host the Paints. Start time is set for 7:05 p.m. For tickets call the Wild Things box office at 724-250-9555.

--Brian Dalek

BOX SCORE

5/28/07
Florence 4, Washington 8

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Florence	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	0	0	4	7	2
Washington	1	0	3	0	0	1	2	1	X	8	7	1

Florence	POS	AB	R	H	RBI	AVG
R. Watson	CF	5	1	2	0	.300
G. Stone	RF	5	1	2	2	.217
T. Grogan	3B	3	0	0	0	.150
B. Blacken	1B	2	1	2	2	.350
J. Lex	CAT	4	0	0	0	.333
C. Martin	DH	3	0	0	0	.143
Leon	LF	4	0	0	0	.111
J. Holland	2B	3	0	1	0	.250
R. Steinbach	SS	4	1	0	0	.333
D. Watkins	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
J. Troop	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
D. Acosta	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
TOTALS		33	4	7	4

Washington	POS	AB	R	H	RBI	AVG
C. Sidick	CF	2	1	0	1	.409
J. Rine	RF	4	1	1	1	.296
N. Messner	1B	3	2	2	3	.381
M. Garza	DH	3	0	1	0	.087
R. Quintana	PR	0	1	0	0	.400
P. O'Brien	CAT	4	0	1	0	.235
R. Knapp	LF	4	0	1	1	.313
K. Padgett	SS	3	1	0	0	.278
J. Gregula	3B	2	1	0	0	.273
K. Werman	2B	2	1	1	0	.455
A. Ledbetter	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
J. Mattison	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
G. Hlebovy	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
TOTALS		27	8	7	6

E--G.Stone, J.Lex, K.Werman. DP--FLORENCE 1, WASHINGTON 2. LOB-- FLORENCE 7, WASHINGTON 2. 2B--G.Stone (1). 3B--J.Rine (2), K.Werman (1). HR--B.Blacken (2), N.Messner 2 (3). SB--C.Sidick (2). HBP--J.Holland. SF--N.Messner. SH--K.Werman.

Florence	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
D. Watkins (L, 0-1)	6.0	4	6	6	4	6	2	9.00
J. Troop	1.0	0	1	1	1	0	0	1.69
D. Acosta	1.0	3	1	1	0	0	0	3.00

Washington	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
A. Ledbetter (W,2-0)	6.2	5	4	2	2	4	1	1.42
J. Mattison	1.0	1	0	0	2	1	0	0.00
G. Hlebovy (S,2)	1.1	1	0	0	0	2	0	0.00

HB--G.Hlebovy. WP--J.Troop. SO--T.Grogan, C.Martin 2, Leon 2, R.Steinbach 2, C.Sidick, J.Rine 2, P.O'Brien, K.Padgett, J.Gregula. BB--T.Grogan, B.Blacken 2, C.Martin, C.Sidick 2, M.Garza, K.Padgett, J.Gregula.

Time: 2:38, Attendance: 2,811