Grand Slam Propels Zookeepers To A Victory

The Asheboro Zookeepers were back home on Saturday night to face High-Point Thomasville.

The two rivals met on opening night in Asheboro where the Zookeepers collected the victory.

On Friday night the Zookeepers lost on the road in Martinsville and looked to avenge their loss against the Hi-Toms.

Nic Schutte would get the ball on the mound for the second time this season.

The first start for Schutte he went just 2/3 of an inning and gave up six runs in Holly Springs.

The Game

In the first inning the Hi-Toms quickly got things going with their bats.

Yates Sikes hit a rope into right center field that eventually scored the first run of the game for the Hi-Toms.

Schutte did eventually get out of the inning meaning it was officially his longest start of the season thus far.

The Zookeepers offense was not scared of playing from a deficit for the second home game in a row.

Quickly, the Zookeepers got the bases loaded with no outs.

Hunter Atkins stepped up to the plate and drew a bases loaded walk to tie the game at one, but the fireworks did not stop there.

Davis Germann stepped up and launched one over the right field wall for a GRAND SLAM.

Blink and you missed a five run first inning for the Zookeepers.

Throughout the first few games the Zookeepers have put up some crooked numbers but have not been able to keep the lead, this was the case again tonight.

The Hi-Toms rallied back from the four run deficit with five runs of their own in innings 2-4.

Schutte was quickly taken out of the game after giving up five runs.

The scoreboard read 6-5 Hi-Toms after four innings despite five runs from the Zookeepers in the first.

Back and Fourth

While giving up a large lead early in the goings seemed demoralizing it did not get the Zookeepers down.

The bats awoke again when newcomer Sam Seidel launched his first homer of the season to tie the game.

From then on in, the Zookeepers tallied three more runs to take a commanding 10-6 lead late into the going.

The Bullpen

The real story last night was once again the Zookeepers bullpen.

After one shutout inning in Martinsville, Caleb Cockerham came out of the bullpen first.

Cockerham was seemingly unhittable for four innings last night propelling the Zookeepers to certain victory.

The closer Spencer Floyd then came into the game to shut things down and did just that.

Floyd went right through the three batters he faced to slam the door shut on the Hi-Toms for the second time this season.

Wrap Up

The Zookeepers secured the victory 10-6 and beat the Hi-Toms for the second time at home this season.

Germann’s early grand slam was the difference in the game.

For the Zookeepers, they get back to .500 at 4-4 on the season.

Tomorrow the two teams will meet once again, this time in High Point.

First pitch is scheduled for 5pm and will be available on the ZK Baseball Radio Network.

You can listen live here: https://zkbaseball.mixlr.com/