HAMPTON, VA – The best word to describe tonight? Heartbreaker. 

A walk-off single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth from Ethan Hunter gave the Peninsula Pilots a 2-1 win against the Morehead City Marlins in Hampton, VA on Friday night. The Marlins only racked four hits, one night after they put up nine. 

“We’ve got to do a better job offensively,” Marlins head coach Jesse Lancaster said. “[Justin] Kleinsorge gave us a chance to win.” 

Lancaster couldn’t have said it better. Despite the no decision, Kleinsorge (Regis) gave up no runs, one walk and four hits in five innings pitched. In three starts, the righty has gotten three no decisions. 

The Pilots got the first run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, with Mason Dunaway driving in Alden Mathes with an RBI single. The Marlins would respond, though, with an RBI single from Joe Mason in the bottom of the eighth. But in the bottom of the ninth, with two outs, Ethan Hunter hit a game-winning RBI single to right field.

In the eyes of Lancaster, it’s onto the next one.

“It’s just another loss,” Lancaster said. “It’s early, it’s June. We’ve got to get better and clean some things up.”

The Marlins’ next opportunity to bounce back is this Monday. Morehead City faces the Fuquay-Varina Twins, from the Tidewater Summer League, in an exhibition matchup at The Rock. First pitch is set for 7:05.