FredNats lose in Fayetteville finale, 6-5

The Fredericksburg Nationals dropped a close one-run affair in the series finale at Segra Stadium in Fayetteville by a score of 6-5. Viandel Peña, Leandro Emiliani and Andry Arias each had multiple hits and RBIs, but the FredNats could not quite complete the comeback and lose the series four games to two.

Fayetteville jumped ahead 2-0 after one inning after a two-run single by Cody Orr. FredNat starter Brendan Collins was lifted in the 1st inning, and Cody Greenhill came in and pitched well. The Auburn alum pitched 2.1 innings in relief and allowed just two hits and one unearned run.

The FredNats punched back in the 2nd inning. T.J. White continued his strong series with an RBI ground-rule double to left field. White had five RBIs in the series. Arias then drove in the tying run with a sharp single to right field to score Branden Boissiere, and the game was tied at two.

A bases-loaded walk to Logan Cerny in the bottom of the 2nd gave Fayetteville the lead back at 3-2, but Peña hit his 4th home run of the season to right field to tie the game at 3.

The Woodpeckers got two in the 5th and one in the 6th against Marlon Perez. Arias drove home the 4th run on an infield single in the 6th, and then Emiliani hit an RBI single with two outs in the 7th to make it 6-5, but that is how the game would end.

Riggs Threadgill pitched well out of the bullpen for the FredNats, as did Jack Sinclair. Threadgill went two innings and allowed one run, and Sinclair pitched a scoreless 8th to keep it a one-run game.
In the 9th, with the FredNats down a run, Peña hit a double to the right field corner, but was thrown out at third trying to stretch it into a triple.

The FredNats fall to 25-24 on the year and will return home to Virginia Credit Union Stadium on Tuesday to open a seven-game series with the Lynchburg Hillcats. This series will likely decide whether or not the FredNats can come back in the North Division in the Carolina League before the first half ends on June 22. Fredericksburg is currently 3.5 games out of first place.

First pitch on Tuesday is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.