Longball Propels Zookeepers To Victory

The Asheboro Zookeepers welcomed in the Boone Bigfoots into McCrary Park for the second time this season.

This would be the first of back to back meetings as the two teams will face off on Sunday in Boone.

In the last meeting, the Bigfoots came into Asheboro and took the victory 10-6.

Not only would the Zookeepers be looking to avenge the previous loss to the Bigfoots but also get their first win in as many games.

The Game

On the mound for the Zookeepers was Nic Schutte.

Schutte had some rough previous outings but was poised to get back on track saying “you just have to put the bad ones behind you and move on.”

In the first inning, things did not go as well for Schutte as he would have liked to start off.

While he did get a quick first out he allowed two base runners after that, both eventually getting into scoring position.

Luckily, Schutte was not phased by two runners in scoring position and was able to get out of the early jam.

As for the Bigfoots in the first, they were unable to get out of some early jams.

Zookeepers third baseman Hunter Atkins continued his hot streak by driving in two runners on a single up the middle.

After the three outs were recorded, the Zookeepers led on the scoreboard by a score of 2-0.

Back and Fourth

If you like pinball machines then this game was for you.

The lead in this game kept pin-balling back and fourth throughout most of the middle innings and eventually into the latter innings.

In the second inning the lead did not change hands but the Bigfoots made a run at it.

Jahlani Rodgers drove in a runner with a single to cut the lead in half.

Over the course of the next four innings, 2-5, the Bigfoots answered with three runs of their own to tie the game at 3-3.

Don’t Stop The Part

Just because the Bigfoots tied the game did not mean the party for the Zookeepers was rained on, it was only beginning.

Newcomer Ryan Kennell hit his first home run with the Zookeepers, a towering shot over the left field wall.

There have not been many home runs hit to left field this season but this ball was smacked right over the wall.

The party did not stop there.

First baseman Alex Kean hit his first home run of the summer, a moonshot over the ad boards in right field.

Before the gam, Coach Dunbar worked with Kean on his swing.

Prior to first pitch Kean said “he worked on loosening up my swing and told me to just relax.”

Apparently whatever Dunbar told Kean worked.

Boone would strike with a home run of their own from Noah Furcht, his second solo shot of the game to make it a 4-4 game.

The home run party kept on going, this time with Owen Blackledge.

Over the past week or so Blackledge has been seeing a beach ball at the plate.

Blackledge hit a ball over 400 feet to dead center, a two run shot to cap off a three run inning for the Zookeepers.

The Bigfoots tried their very best to comeback by hitting yet another solo shot, the THIRD HOMER OF THE GAME for Furcht.

Furcht’s efforts would not be enough in the end.

Wrap Up

Dominant hitting in the end prevailed the ZooKeepers to a 7-5 victory.

They rebound from the earlier loss in the season and even up the series at 1-1.

Sunday, the Zookeepers travel to Boone to face the Bigfoots for the second day in a row.

That game will be broadcast here: https://zkbaseball.mixlr.com/

First pitch is scheduled for 4:30pm