First-Half Champs! Pelicans Clinch Playoff Berth with 8-2 Win over Nationals

By Sam Weiderhaft

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans clinched a playoff spot for a second consecutive season with an 8-2 win over the Fredericksburg Nationals in the series finale on Sunday night. The Pelicans have now won the Carolina League South First-Half championship in back-to-back seasons. With a win in the series finale, the Birds won their fourth straight series and improved their record to 38-25. The Nationals dropped to 29-32.

The bats exploded in the final game of the week as the lineup collected 10 hits and eight runs. Reivaj Garcia (1-5, 3B, 2 RBI) brought home two runs on a triple in the sixth and Rafael Morel (2-3, 2B, 2 RBI, BB) logged a multi-hit performance with a pair of runs driven in. Felix Stevens (1-4, HR, RBI) hit a solo home run in the sixth.

With just one run allowed in his five innings, Brody McCullough (5-1) struck out eight and walked just one with two hits allowed in his outing to take the win. Starlyn Pichardo held it down with just one earned run in his three innings and Angel Gonzalez retired the side in order in the ninth.

After two hits in the second, the Nationals smashed just four hits for the game with Daylen Lile (1-4, 3B, RBI) hitting an RBI triple in the eighth inning. Fredericksburg struck out 13 times in the loss.

Mason Denaburg (3-3) took the loss with an earned run in his lone inning in relief. Juan Abreu sacrificed five runs in the top of the sixth while only getting one out. The pitching staff walked six and struck out just five in the final game of the week.

It was an early start for the Nationals as they scored a run in the top of the second. With a runner on second, Branden Boissiere hit a ground-rule double to left field to bring in the run.

The next seven runs came from the Pelicans in the next three innings. With a runner on second, Cristian Hernandez looped a single to shallow right field as the runner scored from second to tie the game.

In the bottom of the fifth, Moises Ballesteros hit an RBI single with runners on first and second to give the Birds the lead.

The game broke open in the Pelicans’ half of the sixth inning as Stevens led off the frame with a solo home run to left field to make it 3-1. With runners on first and second, Morel hit an RBI double down the left field line to extend the lead. Garcia followed with a triple off the wall in center field to score two more runs and brought the lead to 6-1. Garcia scored on an RBI fielder’s choice by Juan Mora as the Pelicans took their 7-1 lead to the seventh.

Both teams added a run in the eighth inning as Lile hit an RBI triple in the top half for Fredericksburg. In the bottom half, Morel lined an RBI single to center for an 8-2 lead.

The Pelicans will be going to the playoffs for the 13^th time in franchise history. The first half will conclude in Kannapolis with the series opener on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.