The Hawaii Tropics begin the Geoghegan Round on the road for two games in Louisville. The Sluggers dominated the season series with Hawaii with a 7-1 record.
Game 1- The Louisville Sluggers waited for their opportunity against Alaric Wullenweber and they found it in the bottom of the seventh. The Sluggers broke through with five runs to take the lead then held off the Tropics to take the series opener. Wullenweber went eight innings allowing ten hits, walking two and fanning eight batters.
James Browning was excellent against the Hawaii lineup giving up just an unearned run on three hits and a walk. He struck out six over six innings. Evan Hilliard finished the game off with three innings of hitless ball. He walked one and struck out one for the win.
Louisville wins 5-1.
Game 2- The Hawaii Tropics battled back to tie the game in the top of the ninth. Hawaii scored two runs on a Ron Shiplack blast to tie it a 4-4. The Sluggers walked it off in the bottom of the tenth with a sac fly to take a 2-0 series lead.
SP Maup Manshert got the start for Hawaii going five innings allowing three runs on six hits, walked four and struck out four.
Shiplack was 2 for 4 with a run scored and two RBI. DH Ernest McBride was 1 for 3 with a two run homer.
Louisville wins 5-4.
The Tropics return home in a 2-0 hole and need a big win to stay alive.
Game 3- The Louisville Sluggers pounded the Tropics with 10 runs on 15 hits to sweep the series against the Hawaii Tropics.
SP Jesus Gonzalez was the first victim of the Sluggers giving up five runs on five hits and a walk over just 2 2/3 innings. He stuck out three and took the loss. Denny Hamilton came on in relief and threw gasoline on the fire. He gave up four runs on three hits and a walk in just 1/3 of an inning.
The only Hawaii bright spot was a two run homer by Ernest McBride in the seventh. He finished the day 2 for 4 in possibly his final game for the Tropics.
Louisville win 10-3.
