West Virginia got a four-hitter out of a trio of pitchers and scratched out a run in the eighth inning on Thursday night to beat Hickory 1-0 in the first game of the South Atlantic League’s second half.
The win was the fifth straight for the Power (36-33, 1-0), now tied for most shutout wins in the SAL this season with eight.
Hickory (40-29, 0-1), the Northern Division’s first-half champion, has lost two straight games and was shut out for the third time this season.
Game 2 of a four-game series with the Power continues Friday night at 7 p.m. at L.P. Frans Stadium.
West Virginia starter Colton Cain gave up two hits and one walk in the first six innings. He was followed by Zac Fuesser (2-2), who got the win after throwing two scoreless innings and striking out three, and Victor Black finished up by allowing only an infield single in the ninth for his first save.
“I think you’ve got to give credit to Cain and Fuesser,” said Crawdads manager Bill Richardson. “The left-handers pitched to both sides of the plate. They punched out only four, so we were putting the ball in play. But I think that’s a credit to those pitchers.”
Crawdads starter Nick Tepesch threw six shutout innings with nine strikeouts. But a 35-pitch first inning limited his chance to go deeper in the game.
Andrew Maggi, who finished with four hits, led off the game with a single to center, then stole second. After Tepesch walked John Howard with two outs, Mel Rojas, Jr. lined a sharp single to center. Maggi rounded third in an attempt to score, but fell and had to hold there, loading the bases. Cole White ended the inning on a force play.
“It’s a little wet over there and it cost us a run,” said Maggi. “I had to apologize to Mel.”
The Power missed a chance to score in the third. Maggi again led off with a single and took third on a hit-and-run single by Daniel Grovatt. With Rojas down 0-2 in the count, Grovatt was picked off first by Tepesch.
Then, with Grovatt in a run-down, Maggi attempted to score. But he was thrown out at home on a relay by shortstop Jurickson Profar to catcher Kellin Deglan, who blocked the plate.
“I like to do that,” Maggi said. “I like to cause havoc and make the pitcher think about me.”
Hickory had only one runner reach second, that coming in the fifth inning. With runners at first and second, Deglin hit into a double play to end the threat.
Maggi’s fourth hit served as the catalyst for the winning run. He lined a single off reliever Joe Van Meter (5-1), then took second on Van Meter’s throwing error. Andy Vazquez sacrificed Maggi to third and he scored with two outs on a double by Justin Howard.
“Tonight our pitchers kept us in it,” said Maggi. “They pitched well all night around the zone.
“It’s nice to hit when the pitchers are dealing.”
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