April 3, 2024 - Gators Fall Short Against Red Barons in a Thrilling Series
4/3/2024by Skip Remington
Don Haslam named MVP for Red Barons
Don Haslam named MVP for Red Barons

 

Columbus, OH – April 4, 2024 – The Gainesville Gators dropped two out of three games against the Columbus Red Barons in a highly competitive early-season series. The Red Barons, powered by stellar pitching and timely hitting, managed to clinch the series despite Gainesville's determined efforts. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the exciting three-game series.

Game 1: Red Barons Edge Out Gators 3-1

Monday, April 1, 2024
Attendance: 15,304

 

The series opener at Red Barons Stadium saw Columbus secure a narrow 3-1 victory over Gainesville, driven by Andy Copeland’s commanding performance on the mound and Dom Haslam’s clutch hitting.

 

Scoring Summary:

  • Bottom 1st: Columbus struck early. Dom Haslam singled and later scored on Ashley Mathews' double to center, giving the Red Barons a 1-0 lead.
  • Bottom 3rd: Mathews showcased his base-running skills, scoring from third on Billy Latner’s fielder's choice, extending Columbus's lead to 2-0.
  • Top 7th: Gainesville responded when Randy Clark walked, advanced on a single, and scored on Jon Metcalf's ground ball single to right, cutting the lead to 2-1.
  • Bottom 8th: Haslam sealed the game with a towering solo home run to center field.

 

Pitching Highlights:

  • Columbus: Andy Copeland pitched 7 innings of one-run ball, allowing 6 hits while striking out 7. Relievers Kenny Lafontaine and Nick Michaels combined for 2 scoreless innings to secure the win.
  • Gainesville: Nate Bowerman delivered a solid performance, going 7.2 innings and allowing 3 runs on 5 hits, striking out 5.

 

"Copeland was fantastic tonight," said Columbus manager Joe Simmons. "He kept their hitters off balance and gave us a chance to win."

 

Player Quotes:

 

"We came out strong and Andy gave us the confidence to play our game," said Dom Haslam, who went 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI. "That homer in the eighth felt great."

Game 2: Gators Rally Late to Win 5-3

Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Attendance: 14,897

 

Tuesday’s game saw Gainesville stage a dramatic late-inning comeback to defeat Columbus 5-3, tying the series.

 

Scoring Summary:

  • Bottom 1st: Columbus grabbed an early lead again with Aaron Griffith's RBI single, bringing home Ashley Mathews. David Sexton’s fielder's choice then allowed Griffith to score, making it 2-0.
  • Top 2nd: Gainesville answered back when Octavio Moran doubled to right, scoring Bill Sharkey from second, cutting the lead to 2-1.
  • Bottom 2nd: Travis McLadd launched a solo homer to center, extending Columbus’s lead to 3-1.
  • Top 8th: Gainesville tied the game at 3-3 with Howard Holley’s two-run blast to center, scoring Jay Kemp, who had walked.
  • Top 9th: The Gators took control. Jon Metcalf’s double scored Octavio Moran, who had reached on a single. Peter Lucas then doubled to drive in Metcalf, sealing the victory at 5-3.

 

Pitching Highlights:

  • Gainesville: Juan Zamora shone in relief, pitching 4 scoreless innings and striking out 6. Starter Stanley Hoover struggled, giving up 3 runs on 5 hits over 4 innings.
  • Columbus: Ben Vesel was solid through 5 innings, allowing 1 run on 5 hits with 4 strikeouts. However, relievers Warren Falco and Eric Wilcoxson faltered, surrendering 4 runs combined.

 

"We never gave up," said Gators manager Dave Johnson. "The guys showed a lot of heart out there."

 

Player Quotes:

"The team showed resilience," said Jon Metcalf, who was 4-for-5 with 2 doubles and an RBI. "We kept pushing and got the hits we needed late in the game."

Game 3: Red Barons Secure Series with 5-2 Win

Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Attendance: 16,208

 

The decisive game saw Columbus's bats come alive in the fourth inning, leading to a 5-2 victory and securing the series win.

 

Scoring Summary:

  • Bottom 4th: Columbus exploded for 5 runs. Travis McLadd’s double brought in Aaron Griffith and David Sexton, with Bobby Brunson advancing to third. Darren Bowes then crushed a three-run homer to center, bringing home Brunson and McLadd.
  • Top 6th: Gainesville attempted a comeback. Augusto Gomez and Randy Clark singled, then advanced on a walk. Ramon Santos walked to score Gomez, followed by Jon Metcalf’s single to left, scoring Clark and making it 5-2.

 

Pitching Highlights:

  • Columbus: Robert Ake was instrumental, pitching 5.2 innings in relief, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits while striking out 7. Jeremy Kimball and Mike Tapan combined for 3.1 scoreless innings to close out the game.
  • Gainesville: Mark Francis allowed 5 runs on 7 hits over 6 innings. Jose Serrano provided 2 scoreless innings in relief.

"That fourth inning was huge for us," said Bowes. "We just kept the pressure on and it paid off."

 

Player Quotes:

 

"We capitalized on our opportunities," said Travis McLadd, who went 2-for-4 with a double and 2 RBIs. "It's always great to contribute to a big inning like that."

Series Highlights and Quotes:

  • Dom Haslam (Columbus): 4-for-11, HR, 2 R, 1 RBI
  • Jon Metcalf (Gainesville): 6-for-13, 3 2B, 2 RBI
  • Andy Copeland (Columbus): 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 7 K in Game 1
  • Robert Ake (Columbus): 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 7 K in Game 3

 

"Haslam was a key player for us this series," said Simmons. "His home run in Game 1 and solid performance throughout the series were crucial."

 

Series MVP: Dom Haslam (Columbus Red Barons)

 

Dom Haslam's consistent performance at the plate and his game-changing home run in the series opener earned him the Series MVP honors. His ability to come through in clutch moments was a significant factor in Columbus's success.

Series Statistics:

 

Columbus Red Barons:

  • Runs Scored: 11
  • Hits: 24
  • Errors: 2

Gainesville Gators:

  • Runs Scored: 8
  • Hits: 23
  • Errors: 0

 

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