· By Whitney Hunt
Dirty Birds Take Down Southern Maryland
The Charleston Dirty Birds dominated the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, combining explosive offense with a solid pitching performance. Tyler Hill and James Nelson led the charge for Charleston, which scored in five different innings.
Charleston Key Performances:
- Tyler Hill (C): 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R (.273 AVG).
- James Nelson (DH): 2-for-4, HR, 1 RBI, 1 R, SB (.304 AVG).
- Alsander Womack (2B): 3-for-5, 2 2B, 2 R (.362 AVG).
- Pitching: Keyvius Sampson (W, 3-1): 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 7 K, 2 BB (2.84 ERA).
Pitching Breakdown
- Charleston starter Keyvius Sampson was sharp, allowing just 1 run over 6 innings with 7 strikeouts. The bullpen combined for 3 innings of 2-run ball, striking out 5.
- Southern Marylan starter John Kelly (L, 0-2): Lasted 4.2 innings, giving up 3 runs (2 earned). Relievers struggled, surrendering 6 runs over the next 3 innings.
Key Moments:
1. Tyler Hill’s 3-run homer in the 6th extended the lead to 6-1.
2. Charleston added insurance runs in the 7th, including an RBI single by Matijevic and Womack’s second double of the game.
3. Dondrei Hubbard’s homer in the 7th brought Southern Maryland closer, but they couldn’t overcome the deficit.