The 2044 Brewster Baseball Association kicks off for the Hawaii Tropics. They begin the long journey with high hopes for this season. The Tropics begin on the road against the Seattle Storm in a three game series at King County Complex.
Game 1- Hawaii Tropics SP Alaric Wullenweber received the opening day duties and started strong. He allowed just 2 hits in the first three innings then ran into some problems. He allowed 3 in the fourth, another in the third and 2 more in the seventh before being yanked. He was staked to a 4-0 lead on RBIs in the first by C Ron Shiplack and1B Gary Allen.
Wullenweber finished the day with 6 1/3 innings, 6 runs on 8 hits and he struck out 11 batters. He takes his first loss of the 2044 season.
Shiplack was 2 for 4 with two doubles, a run and an RBI.
Allen was 1 for 4 with a double and 2 RBI.
DH Ernest McBride was 1 for 3 with a solo homer and a walk.
Seattle wins 7-4.
Game 2- The Hawaii Tropics unload on the Storm in a 9 run second inning to even the series. RF Mike Campbell was 3 for 4 with a 3 run homer and 2 doubles. He scored 2 runs and drove in 5. Gary Allen was 1 for 5 with 2 runs and an RBI.
SP Zak Johnson was excellent going 7 innings giving up 1 run on 5 hits, a walk and struck out 7.
Hawaii wins 11-2.
Game 3- The Hawaii Tropics were cruising to a rubber match game win and a series win when disaster struck in the bottom of the ninth.The struggles of RP Felipe Lopez continue as he gives up 4 runs before yielding to RP Norm McConnell. The normally reliable McConnell threw gas on the fire and after the smoke cleared the game was headed to extras. The game then went to the bottom of the fifteenth when Seattle RF Ernesto Alfonso singled in the winning run and sent the rabid Storm fans into a frenzy.
Tropics SP Jesus Gonzalez was stellar going 6 1/3 innings surrendering just 3 hits, a walk and struck out 7 in a no decision.
Felipe Lopez allowed 4 runs in 1 2/3 innings on 4 hits.
1B Gary Allen was 1 for 5 with a Grand Slam.
Seattle wins 7-6 and wins the series 2-1.
