The Lynchburg Hillcats finished up last week with a 4-2 record that included a three-game sweep at home against the Frederick Keys and their first game under MiLB’s new extra inning format.
Lynchburg (7-7) is in third place in the Carolina League Northern Division trailing the Potomac Nationals and Salem Red Sox. The Hillcats are behind Potomac by 1.5 games and Salem by one game.
Lynchburg traveled to Potomac for the first of a four-game set on April 19 and lost 5-4 in 10 innings. The game was significant as it marked the first time the clubs played under the new MiLB extra innings format. Beginning in the 10th each team now starts each inning with a runner on second base and no outs.
The Hillcats were able to get the runner home in the top of the 10th to make it 4-3 without a hit. Luke Wakamatsu started on second base and moved to third on a fly out and then scored on a sacrifice fly. But it was not enough as Potomac strung a walk and two singles in the bottom of the 10th to score two runs for a walk-off 5-4 win.
Rightfielder Conner Capel is off to a hot start this season and is leading the Hillcats in hitting. The Indians fifth-round pick in 2016 is in his third season of professional baseball and is slashing .316/.393/.458 in 13 games with a home run and four doubles. Capel, 20, also has six steals, seven walks and 10 strikeouts in 48 at-bats. Centerfielder Jodd Carter (pictured above) is slashing .282/.417/.308 slash in 12 games for the Hillcats. Carter is 11-for-39 with a double, nine walks and 13 strikeouts.
Lynchburg split the final two games of a four-game series at Wilmington with a 3-2 win on April 13 and 5-2 loss on April 14. Starter Tanner Tully pitched seven innings on April 13 and gave up just four hits and no runs, while striking out seven and issuing no walks to earn his first win of the season. Hillcats starter Justin Garza pitched five strong innings in a no-decision on April 14 and gave up just two hits and one walk while striking out five. Reliever Luis Jimenez took the loss after giving up four runs and four hits in 1.1 innings. The final game of the series was postponed due to inclement weather.
Lynchburg dominated Frederick with a 5-0 shutout on April 16 and then beat the Keys by the score of 4-1 on April 17 and on April 18.
Jake Paulson (1-1) earned the win on April 16 after pitching six shutout innings and allowing just four hits and a walk. Sam Hentges improved to 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA on the season after he pitched six shutout innings on April 17 and gave up just six hits and a walk while striking out 10. Zach Plesac improved to 1-1 with a 4.08 ERA after he pitched seven innings on April 18 and allowed just three hits and one run while striking out two.
The Hillcats continue play against Potomac tonight at 7:05 p.m. followed by games scheduled for 6:35 p.m. on Saturday and 1:05 p.m. on Sunday.
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