(RV) Thunderbirds Split Weekend Series With GateWay
Saturday, February 26, 2022 - 4:10 pm | Derek Diesner
Mesa, AZ - The Mesa Thunderbird baseball team split their games this weekend with the GateWay Geckos. On Friday, the T-Birds fell on the road 9-3. On Saturday afternoon, Mesa rallied for a 2-1 victory in a final 11-innings at MCC.
With the split, the Thunderbirds; who are currently receiving votes in the latest NJCAA DII Baseball National Poll, move to 12-5 overall and climb back to the .500 mark in ACCAC action, at 4-4. The Geckos saw their overall record drop below the .500 mark, but their conference record moves to 6-4 on the young season.
Mesa 3 at GateWay 9 (Friday, February 25)
On Friday afternoon, the T-Birds fell to the GateWay Geckos 9-3. Mesa struck for a run in the top of the third inning, to claim the early 1-0 lead. After GateWay evened the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning, Mesa would climb back into the lead striking for a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning, to stake a 3-1 lead.
GateWay took control from there, as the Geckos attacked the Thunderbird bullpen. GateWay scored a run in the sixth inning, six runs in the seventh inning, and added another run to the eighth inning on their way to the 9-3 victory.
In the loss, the Mesa offense could only muster four hits all game. Thunderbird starting pitcher Erik Dulittle was solid on the rubber, lasting 5.1 innings while allowing just two runs on six hits with a strikeout. Reliever Colton Vercoe took over for Dulittle with one out in the sixth inning. While Vercoe finished the inning on the mound, he allowed five runs to score; four were earned, on just two hits, while also surrendering one walk.
Mesa 2 vs GateWay 1 - Final 11-innings (Saturday, February 26)
On Saturday, the Mesa Thunderbirds were led by a pair of strong pitching performances. T-Bird starting pitcher Mike Marshall went seven strong innings; allowing the lone run for the Geckos to score in the top of the fourth inning. Overall, Marshall allowed the one run on two hits, to go along with a season-high nine strikeouts and two walks. Marshall would receive a no-decision.
Mitchell Torres (2-0) came in on relief of Marshall and would pick up the victory for the T-Birds on the mound. Torres was terrific in his four innings of work, allowing just two baserunners to reach via walks. He also struckout a pair of Geckos.
Offensively for Mesa, the Thunderbirds had nine hits in the game but stranded 16 runners on base. The T-Birds tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the 5th inning, on an RBI double by Tate Satterfield; scoring Chase Burke.
Fast forward to the bottom of the 11th inning, and with the bases loaded, Dawson Baracani smashed a single into the left-centerfield gap, scoring Kaleb Herbert from third base to give the Thunderbirds the 2-1 walk-off win.
Dean Bittner led the Thunderbird offense on Saturday, finishing the day 3-for-6 at the plate. Connor Culp was held hitless (0-for-2) in the game but did draw four walks.
The Thunderbirds travel this Tuesday to face the Scottsdale Fighting Artichokes, with the first pitch scheduled for 3 pm at SCC. The two teams will turn around and head to Mesa on Wednesday for a rematch, with the first pitch also scheduled for 3 pm.
Don't forget to check out the MCC Team Shop, as well as our Booster Club.