Colonial Heights, VA – The Marlins bats exploded, as the fighitn’ fish took down the Tri-City Chili Peppers 17-3 on Saturday night in a seven-inning run-rule victory. On Star Wars night in Colonial Heights, the Marlins channeled their inner Darth Vader, slashing 16 hits and subduing a very potent Chili Pepper offensive unit. Shaun Gamelin (Rhode Island College) got the nod for the Marlins, as Marcus Goodpaster got the nod for the Chili Peppers. Gamelin was stellar, using his disappearing slider to dispose of Chili Pepper hitters. Gamelin went three innings, giving up one run, walking five hitters and striking out eight.
The first inning was relatively uneventful for both teams, the Marlins went down 1-2-3 in the opening frame and the only runner allowed for Gamelin was a walk to Eli Weisner.
The scoring began in the second inning for both teams, as a Dan Tauken (Albany) single and an error on the Chili Pepper shortstop Dalton Hurst would put two runners aboard for Mike Kenney (Mount Olive), who singled in the first of 17 runs for the Marlins. In the bottom of the second, an Avery Neaves walk and a two base error charged to Gamelin would put him on third. This set the table for Henry Cooke, who doubled in Neaves to tie the game at 1-1 heading to the third.
With two outs and two runners on, the Marlins bats sparked to life. Dan Tauken smacked a double into the pasture to score two runs and push the score to 3-1. Still with two outs, the Marlins would load the bases for Kenney, who put a ball in play that was misplayed by Weisner at second. The error brought two more runs across for the Marlins to complete the four-run inning and push the score to 5-1.
Zach Marriott (Hendrix College) smashed a ball to the triangle in center field that would send Peppers center fielder Michael Dolberry sailing like Superman into the wall, reaching over the wall and robbing what could’ve been a home run.
The sticks weren’t done in the fifth. With the bases loaded and Kenney at the plate, a Ethan Trammel wild pitch brought home Braylin Marine (Newberry College). This would push the score to 6-1. A second Hurst error brought across a seventh run as Tauken came around to score. Locked in a 7-1 score with two runners on, Joseph Mershon (College of Charleston) stepped into the left-handed batter’s box. Mershon blasted a home run over the left field wall to propel the score to 10-1.
Up 10-1, Sayers Collins (East Texas Baptist) made his Marlins debut in the bottom of the fifth, hurling a 1-2-3 inning in his debut.
The Peppers would fight back in the bottom of the inning, plating two runs on a Cameron Miller single. Still down 10-3, the Marlins would come up to bat in the top of the seventh.
The Marlin bats would explode in the top of the seventh. Seven runs would come across to score on eight Marlin singles and a Marriott walk. 12 batters came across to score in the monumental seventh inning. Up 17-3, the Marlins were on the verge of a mercy rule victory (up 10 runs after seven complete innings). Sebastian Meija (UT Rio Grande Valley) came in to close the victory and slammed the door, retiring the Peppers side in order in the bottom of the seventh. Collins would get the win in his first game as a Marlin, while Tauken finished the night with a three RBI four-hit night.
The Marlins return home on Monday night to face the Wilmington Sharks on Monday night in a rescheduled game from June 23rd. The game will be available to stream on FloSports. First pitch is scheduled for 7PM.