CARY, N.C. – Point Park scored four runs in the top of the 13
th inning to win its season-opener, 11-8, over Dominican of New York on Friday evening at the USA Baseball Training Complex in Cary.
In the season opener for both teams, the game went into extra innings after a 7-7 deadlock through nine innings.
In the 13
th inning with
Olindo Pezzone on second following a double,
Blake Ewing broke the tie with a single that allowed Pezzone to turn the corner at third and get home.
Carlos de la Vega singled during the next at-bat and sent Ewing to third.
After a Dominican pitching change,
Felix Rodriguez singled to bring home Ewing and de la Vega, making the score 10-7. Rodriguez plated the last run of the inning for PPU on a wild pitch.
Dominican, the home team in the neutral contest, scored one run on an RBI single by Erick Diaz in the 13
th, but that wasn't enough as Point Park took the season-opening win by a three-run margin.
The Point Park offense accounted for six extra-base hits in the game, including a solo home run by Ewing and a two-RBI triple by
Chris Williams. Williams finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored.
Trevor Jones,
Luis Gonzalez, Ewing, de la Vega and
Sebastian Hernandez each recorded two hits in the game.
In addition to Williams - Jones, Ewing, Hernandez and
Felix Rodriguez each drove in two runs apiece for the Pioneers.
In addition to his big day at the plate, Williams stole two bases.
Point Park used three arms on Friday, with
Harold Boyce (1-0) picking up the win. He pitched the final six innings, allowing just two runs on four hits while striking out three.
Ramon Rodriguez started and pitched the first four innings for the Pioneers, striking out five while allowing five runs on nine hits.
Ethan Parker also pitched the middle three innings.
Dominican was paced at the plate by Jaden Maia's three-run home run. He went 2-for-6 in the game.
Point Park will return to action on Saturday with a doubleheader against Pace University. First pitch is slated for noon at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary.
