Abbotsford picks up road win over Titans, 9-5

By Nathaniel Underwood

Aaron Morrow nearly pitched a complete game, every member of the Abbotsford lineup had a hit and the Merchants defeated the Tomahawk Titans 9-5 this past Saturday.

The visiting Merchants brought out the bats, collecting 15 hits in their road victory. While the Titans managed 10 hits of their own, three came in the final inning and they were held hitless for four straight innings in the latter portion of the contest.

Abbotsford got off to a quick start, scoring in the top of the first. A bunt single from Nathaniel Underwood gave the Merchants their first base runner and they used a wild pitch and a ground ball to move him around to third. A clutch two-out single from Payton Schreiber scored Underwood and gave the Merchants a 1-0 lead.

The Titans answered right back in the bottom half of the frame, however, and after Abbotsford left the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, Tomahawk was able to claim a 3-1 lead after knocking in two runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Morrow and the Merchants defense locked in following the second inning. The Abbotsford starting pitcher held the Titans scoreless over the next six innings, only allowing three hits over that stretch.

After being held scoreless in the third and fourth, the visitors hung a crooked number in the fifth. Mateo Lopez, Lucas Stahnke and Schreiber rattled off a trio of singles to load the bases and a fourth single from Trevor Stuttgen drove in a run. Morrow helped his own cause in the next at-bat by coming up with the Merchants’ only extra base hit of the game. The Abby pitcher roped a two-out double down the right field line, plating Stahnke and Schreiber and giving his team a 4-3 advantage.

Stahnke came up with an RBI single in the sixth, knocking in Lopez who had reached on an error and the Merchants put together another three-run inning in the eighth.

Arturo Lopez started things off for the Merchants with a single and he was eventually able to come around to score on another RBI single from Stahnke. Schreiber was able to once again drive in Underwood on a ground out and Harley Schmelzer came through with another single to plate Stahnke.

Abbotsford added one more insurance run in the top of the ninth. Chance Clement picked up his third single of the game and was eventually able to come around to score after Underwood hit into a fielder’s choice, expanding the Merchants’ lead out to six.

Meanwhile, Morrow had held the Titans hitless after the fourth inning, striking out five batters over the four inning period. After striking out the first batter of the ninth inning, Morrow ran into a bit of trouble as the Titans battled out two full-count walks before notching a single to load the bases. A second single scored a run and Abbotsford turned to Mateo Lopez to close out the game. After a bloop single by Tomahawk allowed another run to cross the plate, the Merchants’ closer finished the game out with a strikeout and inducing a weak ground ball, securing Abbotsford’s third straight win.

Morrow earned the win on the mound pitched eight and a third innings for the Merchants, striking out nine batters while walking six. Stahnke and Clement both collected three hits, Schreiber and Morrow were both 2-for-5 at the plate with two RBIs and Mateo Lopez reached base safely in five of his six plate appearances, scoring twice.

MULTI-HIT GAME - Chance Clement, pictured against Pittsville earlier this season, had three hits in the Merchants victory over Tomahawk on Saturday evening.

STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD