Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV

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  • Holiday baseball ... Michael Mosby of the Bluefield Orioles awaits a Princeton pitch on Sunday afternoon as Rays catcher Gerardo Olivares, left, sets up behind the plate at Hunnicutt Field. Staff photo by Jon Bolt

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July 4, 2010

Bluefield shuts out Rays to begin Mercer Cup Series

By BOB REDD for the Daily Telegraph Bluefield Daily Telegraph

PRINCETON — Game one of the 2010 Mercer Cup series saw the Bluefield Orioles score a run in the first inning and Jarrett Martin work five plus innings of three-hit ball as the Baby Birds blanked the Princeton Rays 3-0 Sunday afternoon at Hunnicutt Field.

The O’s wasted little time getting on the board. Leadoff batter Moises Ciriaco blooped a single to center and scored on a one-out triple by Brandon Webb to give Bluefield and Jarret Martin a 1-0 lead.

Michael Ohlman opened the Orioles’ second with a hit back up the middle off Braulio Lara.  Lara fanned Michael Mosby before Vincent Zazueta got aboard thanks to a Rays error. The Bluefield threat was extinguished as Lara picked up his fourth strikeout of the young game and a ground ball got Princeton out of the inning.

Gerardo Olivares picked up the Rays first hit, a single through the box with two down in the second.  However, he was stranded.

The Baby Birds struck again in the third.  Webb drew a one-out walk and stole second.  He went to third on a balk and scored on Joe Valleggia’s first professional hit, a single off the third base bag.  Valleggia touched home when Michael Ohlman doubled to center to make it 3-0.

Lara’s afternoon came to an end in the fourth. Wade Broyles took the mound with two out and one aboard with Princeton down 3-0.

Martin pitched into the sixth for Bluefield.  He was lifted in favor of Andrew Heubner after giving up an infield single to Kevin Kiermaier and a walk to Todd Glaesmann.  Heubner then closed the door on the Rays as Scott Lawson popped out to the second baseman, Kiermaier was picked off attempting to steal third and Ruben Contreras went down swinging leaving the home team scoreless.

Broyles was efficient for Princeton as he retired the first seven batters he faced.  Chase Childers’ walk to open the seventh was the first baserunner for Bluefield since the fourth inning.

Princeton manager Michael Johns turned to Garret Carruth in the ninth and Carruth sat the Orioles down in order and picked up two strikeouts along the way.

Dustin Carder pitched the ninth for Bluefield and earned the save.

Martin got the win for Bluefield.  He pitched five-plus innings of three hit ball, walked three and struck out five.  Heubner worked three frames of no hit ball, walked one and struck out three.

Lara suffered the loss for Princeton.  He hurled five innings of five hit ball, allowed three runs, walked two and struck out five.  Broyles pitched four-and-a-third innings of one hit baseball and struck out five Bluefield hitters.  For the game Princeton pitchers struck out 12 Bluefield hitters.

Ohlman had a pair of hits, including a double, to lead the Orioles.

The two teams meet again tonight in game two of the series and game two of the Mercer Cup series.  First pitch is scheduled for 7 o’clock.

*****

At Hunnicutt Field

Bluefield........102   000   000  —  3  6  0

Princeton.......000   000   000  —  0  3  1

Jarret Martin, Andrew Huebner (6), Dustin Carder (9) and Michael Ohlman. Braulio Lara, Wade Broyles (4), Garret Carruth (9) and Gerardo Olivares. WP-Martin (1-2). LP-Lara (1-2). Sv-Carder (1). HR-none. Time-2:27. Att-786.

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