Gold Takes Game One Of World Series, 16-6
November 06, 2014 | Baseball
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Travis Watkins' bases clearing triple in the top of the third inning sparked a 13-run frame as Gold cruised to a 16-6 opening game win in the 2014 Purple-Gold World Series Thursday afternoon at Lewis Field inside Clark LeClair Stadium.
Trailing 3-0 after two innings, Gold sent 17 hitters to the plate batting around twice taking a 13-3 lead. Parker Lamm reached on an error and scored on Hunter Allen's single through the left side staking Gold to its first run of the afternoon. Luke Lowery and Jimmy Boyd followed with singles loading the bases for Watkins, who roped a triple to left center for a 4-3 advantage. Watkins would cross home on Jeff Nelson's sac fly to center making it a two-run lead for Gold, 5-3.
With two outs and Tyler Strawn standing on first, Gold scored eight more runs with two outs highlighted by Allen's two-RBI double and Ryan Clinch's bases loaded double.
Ross Gardner (1-0) picked up the win in relief surrendering one run (earned) on two hits with a pair of strikeouts in 2.2 innings. Starter David Lucroy gave up five runs (three earned) on four hits in 2.2 frames, while Boyd closed out the game recording the final two outs.
Reid Love (0-1) suffered the loss for Purple allowing six runs (four earned) on five hits with a pair of strikeouts in 2.1 innings. Mason Keen lasted one-third of a frame after giving up seven runs (all unearned) on seven hits. Evan Voliva worked 2.2 innings allowing three runs (all earned) on five hits with a pair of punch-outs and Luke Bolka closed out the sixth pitching to three batters allowing a hit.
Bryce Harman staked Purple to a 3-0 lead in the first thanks to a two-run homer, the first of his two round-trippers of the day. Eric Tyler doubled down the left field line with two outs and Harman followed with a laser down the right field line. Jackson Mims kept the inning going with a base hit back up the middle and moved to second on Kirk Morgan's walk. Mims broke for third taking the base and strolled home on Lowery's throwing error on the attempt.
Harman and Mims each drove in a run in the bottom of the third cutting Gold's lead to 13-5. Charlie Yorgen and Tyler drew consecutive walks before Harman's RBI single to right field scoring Yorgen from second. With Tyler standing on third and one out, Mims lifted a Lucroy pitch to left field easily plating Tyler.
Lowery's fourth base knock of the contest pushed Gold's lead back to 10, 15-5. Strawn and Clinch collected consecutive singles to start the fifth and Lowery cleared the bases with his third double to left center.
Harman scored Purple's final run of the contest blasting a solo home to right center in the bottom half of the fifth. For Harman it was his third hit of the game and team-leading fourth RBI.
Strawn tacked on the final run of the night for Gold with an RBI single to left center that plated Boyd, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.
Seven of Gold's starting eight posted multiple hits, while Allen, Clinch, Lowery and Watkins each drove in three runs. Harman was one of six Purple members with a hit and the lone player with multiple RBI.
Game two of the three-game series will take place Friday, Nov. 7 with a first pitch slated for 4 p.m. (EST).
