EXL: Draci and Eagles with huge wins. Třebíč couldn’t keep up with Hluboká
The third Extraliga round started with three games on Friday. After they were finished the margins in the table shrinked even more.
Reigning champions arrived to Arrows Park, who were on a winning wave, but visitors didn’t waste a second. When Alex Monsalve increased Draci lead in the fourth inning with a three run homerun to 6-0, the chances for the home team looked bleak. However, Arrows were able to pressed Jose Medina in the next half inning and they started to catch up to their opponent. They could even tie the game were it not for Jakub Hajtmar who’s play at short stop helped Draci secure the third out and end the inning at 4-6.
However, the following half inning extinguished any hoped hosts had. Šimon Klack blasted his first career Extraliga homerun, which scored 3 runs, and Monsalve then added another one. Ostrava responded with only one run, batted in by Brandon Smith. Draci have a winning record for the first time this season after winning 10-5. Ostrava, on the other hand, allowed more run in this game than in the first three games combined.
Eagles wiped Hroši
Tomáš Duffek had another great game in Eagles Park, where Eagles hosted Hroši. He didn’t allow their opponents any momentum when he pitched five scoreless innings. When Koya Uemura came in for him and he continued with the same performance, the game was decided.
Hroši send a quartet of young pitchers on the mound, but they were unable to hold their own against Eagles bats. Starter Viktor Urbánek only allowed 3 runs in 5 innings, however the bullpen didn’t have as much success. Eagles also hit far as Willie De La Barcena and Šimon Blažek both scored a homerun each. The game finished on mercy rule, when Mikuláš Hanuš scored tenth run for the hosts.
The series now moves to Brno after Eagles won 10-0, where the second game will be played.
Sokol outbatted Třebíč
Looking at the statistics show visiting Nuclears outhit Sokolo 8-5, and 5-3 when it came to walks. Howeve, neither of these was enough for Nuclears to beat Hluboká. The difference was the defensive errors, thanks to which hosts scored 2 more runs than the visitors.
Fans witnessed a nice pitching duel between Ryan Johnson and Austin Hassani on the mound. The home starter was marginally better, when he had 3 runs and 10 SO in seven innings. Alex Lemmon then closed the game and earned another Extraliga Save.
The momentum swung from side to side during the game. Hosts took the 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to hits from Mužík and Jelínek, for Nuclears to come back with 3 runs in next 2 innings. Miroslav Křivánek helped his team with a two run homerun. However Martin Mužík batted in another run in the fifth inning and the score was tied again. The winning run came in the bottom of the sixth inning, when Hluboká scored after an error.
Sokol won 5-3 in the end and they will now play two games in Vysočina.
