Reading takes Friday doubleheader

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Reading Fightin Phils


READING, Penn. – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats and Reading Fightin’ Phils managed to get through only one inning on Thursday night, but when the rain cleared on Friday, the Phils won the continuation of Thursday’s game as well as Friday’s contest.

In the first game, Reading had a 1-0 advantage at the conclusion of play on Thursday, with two men and no one out in the first.

Reading added another run before the end of the first, adding another run the second off Luke Williams’ double and Darick Hall’s two-run shot in the third.

New Hampshire managed to keep pace, with Logan Warmoth coming home from second on a ground out in the second, Nash Knight coming home on a bunt in the third, and Santiago Espinal coming home on Chad Spanberger’s single later in the third.

Reading expanded its one-run lead in the fifth thanks to an Austin Bossart home run to left, and the Fightins’ relievers kept New Hampshire silent from there, ending the first game with a 6-4 result.

Colton Eastman (1-0) got the win, allowing one earned run off four hits and three walks in five innings of work. Dany Jimenez (2-2) was the loser, collecting six outs and striking out four, giving up two hits beyond Hall’s home run.

At the plate, Hall went 3-for-4 for Reading, but he was outdone by Luke Williams’ 5-for-5 day, with Williams also scoring and driving in a run.

New Hampshire only had five hits in the first game, with two coming from Forest Wall.

In the second game, Reading won 3-1. Jose Antequera gave Reading its first run following a sharp grounder in the third, while Hall’s double in the fifth set the stage for what would be a two-RBI double later in the inning by Josh Stephen.

New Hampshire’s run also was sparked by a double, as Santiago Espinal later scored after his 18th double of the year.

Stephen was the only plater on either side who had more than one hit in the second game as the two teams combined for just six hits overall.

Garrett Cleavinger (2-0) was the winner following his work in the fifth and sixth, striking out four Fisher Cats. Nate Pearson (0-3) was the loser, walking three and striking out three in 3 1/3 innings of work.

Justin Dillon (1-2, 4.95 ERA) takes the mound for New Hampshire on Saturday against Reading lefthander David Parkinson (6-6, 3.54 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 p.m.

About this Author

Andrew Sylvia

Assistant EditorManchester Ink Link

Born and raised in the Granite State, Andrew Sylvia has written approximately 10,000 pieces over his career for outlets across Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. On top of that, he's a licensed notary and licensed to sell property, casualty and life insurance, he's been a USSF trained youth soccer and futsal referee for the past six years and he can name over 60 national flags in under 60 seconds according to that flag game app he has on his phone, which makes sense because he also has a bachelor's degree in geography (like Michael Jordan). He can also type over 100 words a minute on a good day.