(GASTONIA, June 14) – Gastonia’s Honey Hunters came out victorious in a rematch with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, marking their first shutout loss this season in an intense match that took place on Tuesday, June 13. This was the first start for Blue Crabs’ new player, Willie Rios, but it ended on a disappointing note, with the team unable to score despite their persistent efforts.
The home team, Honey Hunters, scored a total of four runs thanks to key players Luis Curbelo and Scott Manea. Curbelo’s second home run of the season led to the first two runs. The ball soared high and ultimately was pushed over the right field wall, eliciting cheers from the home crowd. Manea then drove the advantage home with a single up the middle, bringing in two more runs in the third inning. A fifth run was scored later in the same inning, bolstering the Honey Hunters’ lead to 4-0.
Despite their potent offense, the Blue Crabs couldn’t find their way to the scoreboard. The visiting team collected ten hits during the game but stranded 11 men on base. For the first time this season, they could not put up a single run, leaving the Honey Hunters to enjoy a rare shutout.
Michael Baca was a standout player for the Blue Crabs, with a commendable 3-4 performance. Braxton Lee and Alex Crosby also chipped in with two hits each, yet these individual successes couldn’t pull the team out of their slump. Following this hard-fought match, the Blue Crabs’ record now stands at 23-16.
Looking ahead, the Blue Crabs are planning a quick turnaround with the second game of the series set to start tomorrow at 11:35 AM. Veteran pitcher Daryl Thompson will take the mound for the visiting team. Thompson’s participation is expected to be a morale booster for the Blue Crabs after this challenging loss.
This anticipated rematch will be televised on FloSports, allowing fans from both sides to tune in and support their teams. The Honey Hunters will be looking to continue their winning streak, while the Blue Crabs aim to strike back with vengeance and even the score in the ongoing series.
As the tension builds for the upcoming match, the question remains: Can the Blue Crabs regroup to avenge this bitter loss, or will the Honey Hunters continue to dominate? Tomorrow’s game holds the answer.