Lynchburg Hillcats win on Memorial Day

The Lynchburg Hillcats were able to outduel the Carolina League’s top pitching team to earn a 4-1 win over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in a Memorial Day contest at City Stadium Monday night.  Ryan Weber pitched five scoreless innings and struck out five to get the win.  Ross Heffley hit his second home run of the season and Shawn McGill drove in two runs to provide the offense.

The Hillcats (26-22) got the lead with a two-run third inning.  Ross Heffley clubbed a home run to left field, his second of the season and first since the first day of May.  David Rohm followed up with a double then scored on a single to right field by McGill.

Weber (3-1) struck out a hitter in every inning, scattering four hits and walking one.  He got two pick offs at first base in the game, getting Rougned Odor leaning twice.  It was Weber’s second start since rejoining the rotation last week after a stint on the Disabled List.  Luke Jackson (4-4) took the loss, surrendering the two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out three in 4.2 innings.

The Pelicans (29-20) got their lone run in the sixth.  Wilson Rivera came on in relief and got the first two hitters in the inning, but Trever Adams hit a solo home run over the left field wall to make it a 2-1 game.

The Hillcats tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the seventh.  Ross Heffley doubled then came in to score on two wild pitches during Rohm’s at bat.  Rohm would walk and get to third on a Robby Hefflinger double before scoring on a McGill sacrifice fly.

Ronan Pacheco pitched a scoreless eighth and Nate Hyatt closed it out in the ninth to tie him for the saves lead in the Carolina League with five.

The four-game series continues Tuesday at 6:05pm for game two.  Greg Ross (1-1, 3.27) takes the hill for the ‘Cats against Victor Payano (4-2, 3.80) for Myrtle Beach.  The daily special features half-priced general admission tickets, presented by ABC 13.  If you can’t make it to the ballgame, join Erik Wilson and Jake Levy for all the play-by-play action starting with the Hillcats On-Deck Show, powered by Honda/Suzuki of Lynchburg, going live at 5:40pm on 97.9 FM The Planet and lynchburg-hillcats.com.