Morehead City, NC – The Marlins continued their winning ways after the all-star break on firework Friday night as they dispatched the Pilots 9-4 in sturdy fashion. Ryan Devanney (Sacred Heart) got the start for the Marlins as the opener. The Pilot offense got started in the first when Hunter Cole singled and stole second. Henry Garcia then singled and advanced on a Nate Anderson (Kennesaw State) error. Cole came around to score, and Garcia moved to third on the play. Mason Dunaway was then hit by a Devanney pitch. With Garcia at third and Dunaway at first, the Pilots executed a double steal that would plate Garcia and give the Pilots the 2-0 lead after the opening half inning.

The Marlins would come right back against Pilots starter Nick Willard. A Joseph Mershon (Ohio State) walk and a Bobby Whalen (Virginia) single set the table for Anderson, who smacked a 2-RBI single into the pasture to tie the game at 2-2. 

The Pilots would take the lead back in the second with two on base in front of Hunter Cole who hit an RBI double to right. Cole Stanford came around to score, but Bryce Stober was gunned out at the plate by Marlin newcomer Brantly Cutler (Maryland Eastern Shore) from right field to keep the score at 3-2. 

Down 3-2 headed to the bottom of the third, the Marlins turned up the gas. With runners at the corners and one out, Dylan Rodgers (Appalachian State) put a ball in play that Dunaway couldn’t handle at short. This scored Anderson to tie the game at 3-3. Cutler then put a ball in play to Pilot first baseman Hunter Cole. Cole tried to force Rodgers out at second base, and airmailed the throw into left field. This allowed the go-ahead run to score, and the Marlins took a 4-3 lead.

With two men on base, the Marlins still weren’t done in the third.. Hunter Ryan (Arkansas State) ripped a 2-RBI double into left field to propel the Marlins to a 6-3 lead. 

Going to the fourth with a 6-3 lead, the Marlins weren’t done with the fireworks display. Facing Camden Nuckuls in the fourth, Anderson launched a laser over the right field fence before Will Walsh (Nebraska) would send a rainbow shot over the left field fence. The back-to-back solo home runs would give the Marlins an 8-3 lead after four innings. 

A single and a double in the fifth inning would plate a run for the Pilots against Ty Bothwell (Indiana) in relief for the Marlins, and it was the only run he gave up in his solid three inning stint in relief. 

Trent Anderson (Missouri St. Louis) would enter the game in the bottom of the sixth and begin his masterful performance, as the southpaw hurled four innings of hitless baseball. He would post 1-2-3 innings in every inning but the eighth. 

The Marlins put up an insurance run in the seventh as Ryan reached on an error by the Pilot second baseman, and later came around to score on an error by the first baseman. 

With a 9-4 lead, Trent Anderson continued his dominant performance to earn a four-inning save in the 9-4 victory. With the four inning no-hit save with two walks and four strikeouts, Anderson was crowned the player of the game. 

With the win, the Marlins improve to 24-13, and will take their momentum on the road to Hampton, Virginia on Saturday to face the Pilots. The game will be available to stream on the Marlins’ Mixlr channel. First Pitch is scheduled for 7PM.