
NILES, OH – The Frederick Keys fell in the second half opener to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers Wednesday night, losing by a score of 12-2 at Eastwood Field.
The Keys could not keep up with the high-powered Scrappers offense who finished with 14 hits, as Frederick now looks ahead to the second game of the series Thursday night against Mahoning Valley.
Paul Panduro (Fort Hays State) started his night off strong with a scoreless bottom of the first, keeping the Keys and Scrappers scoreless through the first inning of play in the second half.
A three-run homer by the Scrappers gave the home team an early lead of 3-0 heading into the third, as the Keys looked to answer back quickly Wednesday night on the road.
Mahoning Valley added one more run in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly, but Panduro finished the frame strong and retired the last two men he faced to keep it a 4-0 game going into the fourth.
Bronson Rivera (Hawai’I Pacific) hit a solo homer in the top of the fourth to give the Keys their first run of the second half, but two more runs for Mahoning Valley in the bottom of the frame put the lead back up to five at 6-1 entering the fifth at Eastwood Field.
The home team added four runs in the bottom of the sixth off a two-RBI single and two wild pitches, extending their advantage to nine at 10-1 approaching the seventh Wednesday night.
After Jacob Phillips (Georgia Southern) struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth to keep the Scrappers off the board, Phillips did so once again in the seventh after he recorded a second straight scoreless frame to keep it a 10-1 game going into the eighth.
Frederick got one run back in the eighth on a wild pitch that brought home Cam Pittman (Virginia Tech), but a two-run homer for the Scrappers put their lead up to 12-2 heading into the ninth in the series opener.
Frederick however went scoreless in the ninth and therefore lost the series opener, falling by a score of 12-2 Wednesday night at Eastwood Field.
The Keys and Scrappers meet for the second time in as many days Thursday night, with first pitch set for 6:35 p.m. at Eastwood Field.