RICHMOND, VA – The Bowie Baysox couldn’t harness their timely hits Tuesday night, falling 10-2 to the Richmond Flying Squirrels in the series opener at The Diamond.
In a game that spotlighted the teams’ contrasting performances with runners in scoring position, Bowie stumbled with a 2-for-16 record, while Richmond showcased a more solid 7-for-13 effort.
The game kicked off with a promising start for Bowie. Jud Fabian announced his presence with authority, slamming a leadoff home run in the second inning, marking his ninth for the season. Despite this early show of strength, Richmond’s pitcher, Carson Seymour, showed resilience. He grappled with a season-high seven hits but managed to restrain Bowie to that lone run scored by Fabian. Seymour’s (W, 3-2) performance was backed by Blake Rivera and Mat Olsen, who kept Bowie scoreless. The Baysox, however, did sneak in another run in the ninth inning against Richmond’s Jose Cruz, thanks to Maxwell Costes’ RBI single. Costes’ 3-for-4 record in this game marked a noteworthy Double-A debut for the player.
But the spotlight swiftly shifted to the Flying Squirrels at the bottom of the second. With a flair for the dramatic, Logan Wyatt blasted a three-run homer to right field. This was Wyatt’s fourth home run of the season, turning the game’s tide, handing Richmond the lead. Alex Pham (L, 0-2) of Bowie could hold his ground post-Wyatt’s home run, maintaining five innings on the mound without letting Richmond widen their lead.
However, the sixth inning proved to be a game-changer. Richmond capitalized on Bowie’s Ignacio Feliz, who struggled to defend from the mound. The Flying Squirrels fired off with five singles, two walks, and a hit batter. The onslaught led to a whopping seven runs against Feliz with just one out recorded. Following this intense stint where Feliz faced nine batters, Bowie shifted their trust to Conner Loeprich. Loeprich managed to halt Richmond’s scoring spree for the evening.
This loss for Bowie nudges them to a 48-55 record for the season. The Baysox now pin their hopes on the upcoming game in the six-match series against Richmond, set to take place on Wednesday. Fans and players will be looking for a more favorable outcome for Bowie, with the first pitch anticipated at 6:35 p.m.