Cloverleafs make up ground on Pensacola

Published 12:00 am Friday, July 5, 2002

The Pensacola Pelicans couldn’t seem to find a pitcher that could handle the Selma Cloverleafs on Thursday–the number-one ranked team tried out four before losing the third game in the Selma series 9-5. The Leafs hit three home runs off the visiting pitching staff: Brock Lowell’s full-count jack in the third, Joe Colvin’s bomb in the sixth, and manager Merritt Bowden’s solo shot in the bottom of the eighth.

The Leafs, usually a comeback team, got out ahead early in the game and stayed there for the duration of the game. Pensacola had its share of big plays to keep the game exciting, such as designated hitter Ryan Satterwhite’s shot over the center field wall in the top of the second. New Selma pitcher Steve Shippey pitched until the top of the sixth, getting the win. At that point, right-hander Lucas McCullom came in to relieve Shippey. Then, a scoring streak for Pensacola in the top of the sixth had Manabu Korimushi, Jonathan Wright, and Warren Revell scoring for the Pelicans to tie the score at five.

After the sixth inning, ominous thunderclouds started to gather over Bloch Park, and many in the crowd of 178 began to wonder whether the game would be played for the full nine innings. The top of the seventh brought another pitching change for Selma, when reliever Jim Brantley came in to aid the Cloverleafs. Brantley got them out of the inning with the score at 6-5 in favor of the home team.

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Colvin, who sparkled at the plate for the last half of the game, hit a triple to the right field corner that gave the Leafs some breathing room. On his triple, Bartkawski Cowan and Lowell scored, making the score 8-5 in favor of Selma. The bottom of the eighth had Bowden adding a run to the score, resulting in the 9-5 final.

The Leafs played a doubleheader on Wednesday against the Pelicans, losing the first game 4-2 and winning the second 3-2. Pitcher Jesse Ellison got the win for the Leafs, and Bowden hit a home run–number five out of a year-long total of six.

Thursday’s win gave the Cloverleafs the series and also put them over the 500 mark, bringing their record to 15-14. The Leafs’ next home game is on Tuesday, July 9, when they take on the Baton Rouge River Bats. The loss dropped the Pelicans’ record to 18-12.