Cardiac Clams Rally Late To Defeat River Bandits, Force Game Three Of PCL Finals
Edenton, NC – Comebacks never go out of style in Edenton as the Clams score six runs in the seventh and the eighth inning to take game two of the PCL Finals. The Edenton Steamers defeated the Tarboro River Bandits, 6-2, Friday night at Historic Hicks Field. The Steamers’ bats took charge late and Chandler Padgett tossed a gem to force a win or go-home game three on Saturday.
The River Bandits held a 1-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. The Steamers’ offense capitalized on Tarboro’s mistakes in the field and on the field to push in front.
Ty Garza reached second base on a throwing error from Tarboro shortstop Jonny Wall to lead off the inning. River Bandits reliever Brock Arender followed up the error with two straight walks to load up the bases with no out.
Tarboro coach Grant Crosby decided to make a move and brought in Byrant Beranek to face the bottom of the Steamers’ lineup. The first up, Drifton Padgett, worked a walk to force in a run and tie the ballgame at 1. Two batters later with the bases still loaded and one out Ty Johnson came to the plate.
Coming into the game, Johnson had played just nine games with the Steamers including the first four playoff games. The infielder from Chowan University was inserted right into the Clams’ starting lineup from day one after multiple injuries and departures around the team’s infield.
With the bases loaded, in the PCL Championship, Johnson delivered an RBI single to right field to give the Steamers a 2-1 lead.
After the game, Johnson described his matchup with Beranek as a “battle”.
“I was trying to do anything I could to get that run in,” Johnson said. “It was a battle, their guy (Beranek) had been throwing pretty well and I ended up coming out on top.”
With the bases still loaded the Clams got another run across. Luke Myers reached on a fielders choice to bring in Nate Paulsen to push the lead to 3-1.
After a clean inning in the top of the eighth inning, the Clams added on some insurance in the bottom half of the frame.
The teal and black added some worked three more walks to start out the inning to load the bases with just one out against River Bandits arm Jon Howard. The bottom of the lineup once again took advantage with a single from Padgett and a hit-by-pitch from Geomar Santana to bring in two more runs. Johnson added his second RBI hit of the game to push across the Steamers’ sixth run.
The 6-10 batters in the Steamers lineup went 3/14 with a run scored and six runs batted in.
On the mound for the Steamers saw the return of a 2023 PCL All-Star. Clams ace Chandler Padgett was dominant in his first start since July 16th. Padgett was a late addition to the starting group for the Clams due to a nagging arm injury.
Padgett finished the game with another quality start on the season. He tossed 6 innings allowed just one run on three hits and struck out five River Bandits. The lone mistake pitch was a hanging breaking pitch in the top of the 4th inning that River bandits Preston Shelton hit over the wall.
Padgett’s strong start not only kept the game close for the Clams’ offense but also limited the use of the taxed Steamers’ bullpen. The Teal and Black used three relievers in the last two games that have logged 12.2 innings with no days rest.
After Padgett, Steamers Head Coach Justin Hill turned to John Horton for the remainder of the ballgame. Horton tossed three innings and allowed one unearned run on two hits and a walk with one strikeout.
The Clams reliever allowed a run across in the 9th inning before sealing the Steamers’ victory in game two.
In each of the first two games of the series the team that has scored first (Steamers in game one, River Bandits in game two) has gone on to lose the game.
The two PCL rivals will return to Historic Hicks Field on Saturday night for the final game of not only the championship series but the entire 2023 Premier Collegiate League season. The winner of the game will be crowned as league champions following the game. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00pm
If you cannot make it to the game you can tune into the Steamers YouTube page, your home for every Steamers 2023 playoff game.