Team Black got home runs from freshman Jayson Gonzalez and junior Walker Grisanti and held on for an 8-7 win in game two of the Black and Gold Series at Hawkins Field.
The two home runs from Gonzalez and Grisanti came as part of a seven-run third inning that broke the game open. Gonzalez came to the dish with the bases loaded after Austin Martin singled, Connor Kaiser was hit by a pitch, and Philip Clarke drew a walk. Gonzalez crushed an offer from Hugh Fisher out to left-center for a grand slam to give Team Black a 5-1 lead.
Julian Infante drew a walk before Fisher got the first out of the inning. Grisanti followed with a two-run homer to the opposite field to make it a 7-1 game. The damage didn’t stop there as Harrison Ray singled, then stole second base and scored on a Cooper Davis double down the left field line.
Team Gold’s offense picked up right away as Kiambu Fentress singled and Pat DeMarco drilled a two-run homer to left field off Mason Hickman.
Trailing 8-3 in the fourth, Alex Brewer and Ty Duvall collected back-to-back doubles to cut the deficit in half. Duvall finished 3-for-3 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored.
Left-hander Paxton Stover relieved Fisher and kept Team Gold in the game. The southpaw worked three scoreless innings and allowed just one hit while racking up six strikeouts.
Chandler Day took over on the mound for Team Black in the fourth and shut down the rally after the back-to-back doubles. The right-hander cruised through the fifth and retired the first two batters in the sixth before running into trouble.
Duvall singled to right and Tyler Solomon followed with another base hit to right-center. Garrett Blaylock brought in both runners when he lined a double down the right-field line to make it 8-6.
Fentress delivered his second hit of the game with a base hit to left to score Blaylock and make it a one-run game. Day shut down the comeback attempt when he retired Alonzo Jones on a groundout to short.
The series is tied at one game apiece with game three set for Saturday afternoon at Hawkins Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 and admission is free for all fans.
