On Wednesday morning, the Kingsmen traveled to San Rafael del Yuma for their final game of the 2023 summer season. It’s been a long summer of baseball and missionary work––especially on this year’s trip to the Dominican Republic––and with one final game, the Kingsmen were looking to end the season on a high note. In the first inning, though, Yuma jumped out to an early 3-0 lead.
Kingsmen starting pitcher Nick George issued three consecutive walks to lead off the ballgame with one of the runners scoring on a throwing error by catcher Jack Austin. After a single and a groundout to third, George allowed a two-run single before a flyout to center ended the inning.
The Kingsmen would get a run back in the top of the second after a wild pitch scored Blake Bevis, who led off the inning with a base knock. Despite tallying two hits and two walks in the frame, one was all the Kingsmen could muster in the second.
George rebounded in the bottom of the frame, inducing three groundouts and holding Yuma scoreless. However, the righty allowed another run to cross in the third after a couple of singles and a sacrifice fly. The Kingsmen got the run back in the fourth with a sac fly of their own off the bat of Bryce Frederick. Entering the bottom of the fourth, Yuma led the Kingsmen 4-2.
Blake Bevis relieved George to begin the fourth and pitched a perfect inning, picking up a strikeout in the process. The Kingsmen went down quietly in the fifth while Yuma added an insurance run on a walk, two wild pitches, and another sacrifice fly. With two innings remaining and down three runs, the Kingsmen were in need of a spark.
With one out in the top of the sixth, Matthew Gross lined a single to right and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Cam Troyer followed with a single of his own and moved up to second on a throwing error. With second and third, Bevis lined an RBI single to left that cut the lead to two. Following the knock, Troyer scored on a wild pitch to make it a one-run ballgame. With the tying run on second, first baseman Colin Patterson chopped a base hit into right to knot the game up at five entering the bottom of the sixth.
After striking out the first batter he faced, Bevis allowed a double to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. However, the runner decided to test the arm of Austin behind the plate and was promptly caught stealing third for the second out of the inning. Bevis picked up another punch out to send the game to the seventh all tied up.
With one out, Darrien Whitaker drew a walk to set the stage for the Kingsmen offense. After advancing to second on a throwing error by the pitcher attempting to pick him off, Aidan Rice blooped a single into left to put runners on the corners. With Ryan Fluharty up to bat, a wild pitch allowed Whitaker to score, giving the Kingsmen the lead, 6-5. Four walks and an error later gave the Kingsmen a four run lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Though Yuma threatened in the final frame, they could only score one run before Bevis slammed the door. With the 9-6 victory, the Kingsmen finished their Dominican play 4-0 while finishing the summer with a 16-5 record. After the game, the Kingsmen continued their tradition and gifted Yuma with New Testaments before departing San Rafael. Tomorrow, the team will finish the roof on our translator, Kike’s, new home in San Pedro before returning stateside on Saturday.
Thank you for following along with Kingsmen Baseball this summer! Stay tuned for one more check-in with the team to wrap up the 2023 season.
Blake Bevis Postgame Interview:
Coach Joe Hudak Postgame Interview:
