The Storm wins their first game of the season by taking down the Raiders.
The Saladino Baseball tournament started during spring break on Monday when the Plant City Raiders hosted the Chamberlain Storm. Entering this game, the Raiders were 8-6, and the Storm 0-12.
The game started with Merrick Smith at the mound for the Raiders. On a 3 pitch at bat, the leadoff batter for the Storm grounded out. The following batter for the Storm grounded out to second base. With two outs, the Storm got a single over the infield. Smith struck out the Storm’s cleanup hitter to keep them scoreless through the first inning.
Salvadore Jaramillo led off for the Raiders and flew out foul for the first out. Eli Thomas was up next and flew out on the first pitch to center field. Alex Rodriguez was up next and was walked. Drew Cothren was up with two outs. During his at-bat, Rodriguez stole second base. Cothren flew out to center field, keeping the score 0-0.
Smith was looking to build off his strikeout in the top of the first inning and did just that as the Storm’s leadoff batter grounded out on the first pitch. On the first pitch of the following at-bat, he popped out to the infield for the second out. Smith struck out the following batter, his second of the game, to retire the side for a 3 up, 3 down.
Jake Carbaugh led off next for the Raiders and reached second as the Storm’s right fielder missed the catch. Paul Overstreet was up next and struck out for the first of the inning. Wyatt Tackitt was up next, and before his at-bat, the Storm made their first pitching change of the game. Tackitt drew the walk, putting two on with one out. Lane Baxter was up. Baxter was walked, loading the bases, and Josh Machado was up. Machado RBI singled and scored Carbaugh for the Raider’s first run of the game. It kept the bases loaded with Jaramillo back up at the top of the order. Jaramillo struck out. Eli Thomas was up next and hit it to right field, but it was caught to end the inning. The Raiders were up 1-0 at the end of the second.
Smith struck out the Storm’s leadoff batter to start the inning. An error by the Raiders fielding allowed the Storm’s second batter to reach second base. Another Raiders error allowed the Storm to tie the game and put another runner on second. The next Storm batter grounded out to Smith, who threw him out at first for the second out. The Storm took the lead with an RBI single to right field. Smith struck out his fourth batter of the game to retire the side, but not before the Storm scored two.
Rodriguez was up to lead off the bottom of the third and struck out. Drew Cothren was up next and got walked. Carbaugh was up with one on and one out and grounded out into a fielders choice, making it two outs with Overstreet up. Overstreet flew out to left field to end the inning. After three innings, the Raiders trailed the Storm, 2-1.
Smith was back out for the Raiders and the Storm’s leadoff batter flew out to right field for the first out. The following Storm batter got a single, hitting a grounder past second base. The base runner for the Storm was caught stealing for the second out of the inning. Smith struck out his fifth batter of the game to send it to the bottom of the fourth.
Tackitt led off in the bottom of the fourth for the Raiders and struck out. With one out, Lane Baxter was up next. Baxter flew out to center field for the second out. Josh Machado was up next and popped up to right field to end the inning with the Raiders still down 2-1.
In the top of the fifth, Merrick made a nice defensive play as he grabbed a bunt and got the first out. The Storm reached first with a soft hit ball to third base. The following Storm batter grounded into a fielders choice for the second out. The catcher, Josh Machado, caught the runner stealing for the third out of the inning.
Jaramillo led off in the bottom of the fifth and hit a leadoff single past the third baseman. Eli Thomas was up next and sent a missile to center field and it was caught at the warning tracks. Rodriguez was up next with one out and hit into a fielder’s choice for the second out of the inning. Cothren was up with two outs and was hit by pitch. There was two on with Carbaugh up. He flew out to left field to end the fifth inning with the Raiders down 2-1.
In the top of the sixth, the Storm’s first batter popped out to first base for the first out. The Storm’s second batter reached second on an error. Smith struck out his sixth batter of the game for the second out. Smith then struck out his seventh batter of the game, which sent it to the bottom of the sixth.
Hunter Carbaugh checked into the game to hit for the Raiders and ended up getting out in the infield after a good at bat. Hagen Smith came into the game and struck out. Tyler Black came into the game for the Raiders and flew out to center field to end the inning with the Raiders still down 2-1.
In the final inning of the game, Smith was still pitching. He struck out his eighth batter of the game for the first out of the inning. He then struck out his ninth batter for the second out of the inning on a 3 pitch at bat. The Storm reached first on a soft hit ball to the infield. The Storm singled again which put two on with two outs. They extended their lead after a Raiders error in right field, making it 3-1 with two outs. The Storm RBI singled again and were then up 4-1. The following batter flew out to right field for the third out.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Raiders were down three and Machado was up. Machado single with a nice shot over the Storm’s second baseman. Jaramillo was up next. Parker Scott checked in to run for Machado since he was catcher and Scott reached third after a bad pickoff attempt. Jaramillo RBI singled to make it a 4-2 game with no outs. Thomas was up next and flew out to center field on the first pitch of the at bat. Rodriguez was up next and during his at bat, Jaramillo stole second base. Rodriguez flew out to right field and Jaramillo reached third after tagging up. Drew Cothren was up with two outs and was walked putting runners on the corners with Jake Carbaugh up. Before his at bat, the Storm brought out a new pitcher. Cothren stole second during Carbaugh’s at bat. Carbaugh struck out and the Chamberlain Storm won 4-2 and got their first win of the season.
