‘Burgers fall by a run at Rome

ROME, Ga. — Hub City’s offense provided an early boom on Thursday night in Rome. The ‘Burgers put up a four spot in the top of the second inning. From that point on, the Emperors (23-27, 56-58) scored five unanswered to take down the Spartanburgers (19-32, 53-64) 5-4.   

Hub City again turned to an opener for the second straight week ahead of Kamdyn Perry. This time, it was Case Matter who set down each of the first six Emperors to the plate.  

Rome starter Ethan Bagwell kept the top of Hub City’s lineup quiet in the first. With one out in the second, the bottom of the lineup made its mark. Brandon Crabtree walked, then Carter Garate and Arturo De Freitas both singled to load the bases. Evan Morrison whacked his first professional hit to center field to drive in two runs. A Chandler Pollard hit scored De Freitas, and Morrison came home on a Casey Cook sacrifice fly.  

With a 4-0 lead, the ‘Burgers brought in Perry (L, 1-5) to start the third. A walk and a Logan Braunschweig single immediately put runners on the corners. Braunschweig then stole second, and two groundouts brought in both runners to cut the lead in half.  

Bagwell responded with a scoreless third. With two outs in the fourth, he turned the baseball over to Jacob Shafer (W, 1-1). The righty reliever kept Hub City off the board through the sixth.  

Perry stranded runners at the corners in the fourth, but he got tagged for another run in the fifth. With one out, Perry walked Colby Jones. Carter Beck then took his place on a fielder’s choice. With Beck running on a pitch, Conor Essenburg singled to left-center, and Beck scored all the way from first.  

A hit batter and a walk started the bottom of the sixth, and Perry was taken out for Kai Wynyard. Tanner Smith promptly doubled in the tying run. With one out, Wynyard walked back-to-back runners to load the bases and then bring in the go-ahead run. Two strikeouts ended the threat. Luke Savage handled the seventh and eighth for Hub City on the mound. With a one-run lead in hand, Tyler Schoff (S, 2) came in to pitch in the seventh for Rome. Schoff set down all nine batters he faced to finish off the ‘Burgers. 

The Spartanburgers and Emperors play their fifth game in four days on Friday at 6:45 p.m. E.T. Hub City sends Caden Scarborough (1-5, 4.47 ERA) to the mound. Rome counters with right-hander Cade Kuehler (9-5, 5.83 ERA).