Trailing 3-2 in the seventh inning of game one, Sam Haggerty belted his first home run as a Hillcat over the right-field fence to give Lynchburg a 5-3 lead and change the complexion of the entire day. Lynchburg nailed down the last three outs to finalize the 5-3 victory before claiming a 3-2 win in eight innings in the nightcap. In addition to Haggerty’s homer, Connor Marabell went deep in the first game, and Sicnarf Loopstok had a solo home run in game two.
Lynchburg did not lead in the initial contest until Haggerty gave the Hillcats the lead with the team down to its final two outs. Michael Chavis staked Salem to a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a home run that also plated Tate Matheny.
The Hillcats evened the score in the sixth inning when Loopstok doubled with one out and Connor Marabell drilled a two-run homer to tie the game, 2-all. It did not remain tied for long, as Chavis crushed his second home run to left field in the home half of the frame to put Salem in front again, 3-2. Chavis leads the Carolina League with a .337 average and 14 home runs while ranking second on the circuit with 47 RBIs.
Down by a run in the seventh, Yonathan Mendoza walked with one out, and Daniel Salters smacked a single to right. Haggerty drilled his first home run since August 17, 2016, and his first at the Advanced-A level to give the ‘Cats a 5-3 advantage. Haggertyfinished the doubleheader 5-9 with a double, triple, home run and five RBIs.
Argenis Angulo recorded the final three outs for his eighth save, which ranks second in the Carolina League. Kieran Lovegrove earned the win after getting the final out of the sixth. Brock Hartson did not factor into the decision despite only allowing one hit outside of Chavis’ homers. He struck out six in 5 2/3 innings.
In game two, Loopstok hit a towering fly ball that landed on the top of the foul pole to give Lynchburg an early 1-0 edge in the first. Haggerty made it a 2-0 contest by driving in Mendoza on a third-inning triple. Salem scored a run in the fourth and an unearned run in the seventh to force extra innings.
Three consecutive two-out singles in the top of the eighth broke the tie. Mendoza singled to left, and Anthony Miller lined a ball off the pitcher Marc Brakeman to put two runners on with two outs. Haggerty flipped a pitch into left field to knock home Mendoza and pull Lynchburg within one game of first place in the Northern Division standings. Billy Strode earned the victory in game two.
The Hillcats (32-23) can move into a tie for first place with a victory at Salem (34-23) on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. Shane Bieber (0-0, 3.38) will start for Lynchburg. Fans can listen to the game live at www.lynchburg-hillcats.com with pre-game coverage beginning at 7.
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Chris Graham
