SCRAPPERS ON A STREAK

By Ty Bartell

NILES OH- The Mahoning Valley Scrappers clinched their home opening series against the Frederick Keys with a 7-4 victory in game two on Saturday night, setting the stage for a potential series sweep on Sunday.
Frederick’s Brandow Zastrow and Mahoning Valley’s Jonny Lowe started on the mound. After a scoreless first inning, the Scrappers took the lead in the bottom of the second inning with an RBI fielder’s choice by Jared Quandt, making it 1-0.

In the bottom of the third, Will Shannon’s two-run double extended Mahoning Valley’s lead to 3-0. The Scrappers continued their offensive surge in the fourth inning with an RBI triple by Coen Nicolai and another fielder’s choice RBI by Mark Black, pushing the lead to 5-0.

Shannon remained hot at the plate, collecting his third hit of the game in the fifth inning with an RBI single, giving the Scrappers a 6-0 advantage. The Scrappers added another run in the sixth inning after the first two batters were retired on two pitches. Consecutive hits by Mark Black, Max Johnson, and an RBI single from Jordan Taylor made it 7-0.

The Scrappers’ pitchers combined for seven scoreless innings. Jonny Lowe (4 IP, 3 K), Zach Cawyer (1 IP, 2 K), MJ Gabaldon (1 IP), and Kolby Dougan (1 IP, 1 K) kept the Keys at bay. However, Frederick rallied in the eighth inning with two outs, scoring four runs off Darrell Johnson Jr. RBI singles from Tervell Johnson and Elijah Clayton, and a two-run double by Irvin Weems, cut the deficit to 7-4.

Mahoning Valley’s offense went in order in the bottom of the eighth, setting up the ninth inning for Andrew Morones. Morones secured the save with a perfect inning, retiring the side with a flyout, a groundout, and a strikeout, sealing the 7-4 win.

Will Shannon, the game MVP, led the Scrappers offensively, going 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. The Scrappers (3-2) are above .500 for the first time this season and aim for the series sweep against the Keys (1-4) on Sunday, June 9th, with a 2:05 p.m. first pitch.