Mar 14, 2009 | Dan Thompson | 424 views
Terriers Split Opening Day Dh In Florida
Boca Raton, FL
Kevin Nickel shines in Florida sun!
Under 27 degree sunny skies, the Terriers opened their annual March Break trip to South Florida with a double header split on Saturday March 14th.
Game one versus Erie CC (NY) was a low scoring, tight affair. The Terriers pushed their older college opponents to the brink, leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh. The final score was 4-2.
Eleven pro scouts from the Angels, Astros, A's, Brewers, Rays, Mets, Indians, Giants, Cubs, Reds and Blue Jays were in attendance.
Game two versus Moraine Valley CC (IL) was a back and forth battle with the Terriers eventually prevailing 8-7. Left hander Riley Bohar got the start and went two innings allowing just one run on 2 hits. With the Cyclones leading 1-0 in the second inning Graeme Carey singled and advanced to third on a line drive shot to right field by Donovan Latour. Carey would later score on a Kevin Nickel RBI. With the game tied 1-1 in the top of the third, catcher Kaiden Bowers lead off with a single and advanced to second on a Joel Stubbs fielders choice. Next in was center fielder Tanner Nivins. Tanner hit a scorching line drive down the left field line, scoring Bowers for an RBI and a 2-1 Terriers lead. Courtesy of some shabby Terriers defense, Moraine Valley regained the lead with two runs in their half of the third. The scrappy dogs bounced right back in the top of the fourth and once again Kevin Nickel was in the thick of it. With one out, he stepped into the box and hit a mammoth blast to the right center field fence for a stand up triple. Kevin would score on the next pitch, a sac fly RBI by second baseman Graeme Scott. 3-3.
The Terriers fell behind again in the bottom of the fourth, allowing two runs on one hit. The fifth inning would be the only one in this game when neither team would score. The sixth however, brought more offense from both teams. In the top half, DH Donovan Latour got it going with a lead off single. He advanced on a pass ball and scored on a Kevin Nickel RBI double. After a Cyclone pitching change, pinch hitter Chandler McLaren tied the game at 5-5 with a clutch single, scoring the red hot Nickel. The rally contined with singles by Kaiden Bowers and Brandon Dailey. Both would eventually score on a high fly ball hit by first baseman Jeff Hunt. 7-5 Terriers after five and a half. Unfortunately the two run lead was short lived, as Moraine Valley rebounded with a couple of runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth. 7-7.
On this day, in the top of the seventh there would be no one that the Terriers would want at the plate more than Kevin Nickel. After working a lead off walk, he advanced all the way to third on an attempted pickoff play. Fittingly, Kevin scored the winning run when Chandler McLaren smacked a single to left with the Cyclone infield in. Donovan Latour came on to close out this wild game in the bottom of the seventh, retiring the 6-7-8 hitters in order. The game was also highlighted by the slick inner diamond defense of Joel Stubbs and Brandon Dailey. Kevin Nickel stole the show on the offensive side with a walk, double, triple, two RBIs and three runs scored!
The trip continues with a practice at Florida Atlantic University Sunday morning, followed by an afternoon tilt with PBLO rival, the Toronto Mets.