Knights pick up first road win of the season against Delray Beach Lightning
The winning ways continue for The West Palm Beach Knights as they win their second consecutive game and also earn their first road win of the season, defeating the Delray Beach Lightning 9–5.
Delray Beach was the first team on the board with an RBI single from first baseman Mark Kirkland in the bottom of the first. But West Palm made the Lightning pay in the top of the third inning, as a wild pitch from Hunter Furtado was able to score Caden Marsters and even the game at 1.
The Knights then used a huge fourth inning to expand their lead and give themselves some breathing room. It started with an RBI double from outfielder Grant Gabbert off of pitcher Jon Fallacaro, who subbed in for Furtado in the inning. The RBI scored Tyler Cox and Andres Paret and the lead was now 3–1. And in the at bat following Gabbert, first baseman Jimmy Kemp recorded a single, and with an by an error made by the Lightning’s second baseman, Gabbert advanced home as the fourth finished with a 4–1 lead for the Knights.
West Palm kept a three-run going into the seventh after both teams exchanged runs in the fifth inning with a Juhlien Gonzalez RBI double and a hit by pitch from Kole Rubenking with the bases loaded, but Delray Beach wouldn’t go out easily. With an RBI double from Kevin Coyne and another run scored off of a fielder’s choice, the Knights saw their lead cut to one as the game headed to the top of the eighth.
But unlike last game where the Knights allowed their opponent to tie the game, another three-run inning made sure Delray Beach never came close to threaten to take the lead. Luke Shannahan had a huge RBI triple scoring Danny Baez, and after another error made by the second baseman, Shannahan was also able to reach home plate. Then another RBI was recorded, this time from Kieron Crowder with a double, that allowed Sam Holtz to score and the lead ballooned to 8–4.
An RBI single from Gino Bellantoni in the ninth made the lead 9–4, but West Palm was faced in a tough situation in the bottom 9th that could’ve made the game interesting. After an error lead to a run scored for Delray Beach, there were two on base with one out, and the next at bat was Coyne who had an RBI earlier in the game. But the game was closed out by right hander Jacob Odle, who recorded two straight strikeouts and secured the win for the Knights.
Frank Wierman received his second start of the season, his first one being Opening Day, and recorded the win, pitching 3.1 innings with three strikeouts.
Up next: a doubleheader with Palm Beach Xtreme (3–2) at Sabal Pines Park, with the first game starting at 1:30 PM, and the second beginning at 4:35 PM.