New Look Sox Take Season Opener
March 25, 2007 Red Sox 0 2 2 3 0 0 0 7 10 1 Padres 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 9 1 W- Hepler (1-0) L- Stickley 0-1) Sv- Gardner (1) Weddington HS-----The Charlotte Red Sox kicked off the 2007 in winning fashion Sunday afternoon at Weddington HS, with a 7-3 victory over the Padres(0-1). For the Red Sox, it was their second straight opening day win, and showed signs of great things in store for the 07' season. After Padres starter Greg Stickley shut down the Sox in the top of the first, the Padres got on the board in the bottom of the inning, scoring 2 runs on 4 hits, with an RBI double off the bat of Cochran and an RBI single from Jason Stickley. The Sox answered back quickly in the top of the 2nd tying the score at 2-2. A leadoff hit batter was followed by a Shawn Gardner double off the left-center wall. A wild pitch and Chad Morris RBI single later, the score was knotted up at 2. Red Sox starter Wes Hepler settled down and scattered 2 hits over the next 3 innings allowing the offense to go back to work. That they did, plating 2 more runs in the 3rd on a walk, and back-to-back doubles by Andrew Romberger and Scott Yaniszewski, of which Yaniszewski's drove in 2. The offense would tack on 3 more in the top of the 4th on 4 hits. A single by Joe Maione led off the inning and Philip Naylor's RBI single drove in the first run. A double off the bat of J.D. Vidal would plate the second run and he scored one batter later off a Brian Freivogel single to run the lead to 7-2. Cam Waterson pitched well in relief for the Padres holding the potent Sox offense at bay for the final 3 frames and allowing his team to make a late-inning rally. Three walks and a timely double from Marshall led to a run in the bottom of the fifth bringing the margin to 7-3. The Sox handed the ball to Shawn Gardner with 2 outs in the inning and bases loaded, and he wasted no time, striking out the first batter he faced to end the threat. He would work the next 2 innings in true closer fashion to pick up the save. Hepler notched his first NABA win, going 4 and 2/3, striking 4 on 7 hits. Gardner worked the final 2 and 1/3, giving up only 2 hits while striking out 2. Yaniszewski(3-4, 2B, 2 RBI) led the team at the plate, in what was otherwise a very balanced attack, with 7 players at a hit apiece. Vidal, Freivogel, Naylor, and Morris each drove in a run in the winning effort. The Padres were led by the top three in the order, Marshall(2-4, 2B, 2RS), McAreavy(2-3, HP), and Cochrann(2-3, 2B, RBI, RS), with Poplin and J. Stickley each added an RBI. The Sox are back in action on Wednesday at West Charlotte HS for a 7pm matchup with the expansion Yankees.
