Diamondbacks win on opening night

By Olivia Carson
The Stuarts Draft Diamondbacks took a win with a score of 2-1 against the Elkton Blue Sox on Saturday night to start off the 2021 season.
 
Neither team was able to put runs on the board until the third inning when the Diamondbacks scored two runs off of an error from the Blue Sox catcher Gauge Jenkins.
 
Both starting pitchers, Derek Justice for the Blue Sox and Liam Kehoe for the Diamondbacks,  came out slow with each giving up two walks in the first four innings. The Diamondbacks made two pitching changes throughout the night letting Parker Heinemann and Chandis Goff see some time on the mound.
 
Heinemann, in four innings, struckout 8, walked 3 and did not allow any earned runs against Elkton. Justice, who pitched eight innings for the Blue Sox, ending with 12 strikeouts, 2 earned runs and 4 walks.
 
Elkton was able to gain their first and only run of the game during the 9th inning with a hit to center field, sending a runner home.
 
Diamondbacks team manager Les Sandridge is excited that his team gained their first win of the season even if it was not the game he expected out of his players.
 
“I knew that after last year, we needed a win mentally as a team,” says Sandridge. He expressed that his team's performance did not necessarily meet his expectations, however a win is a win. “It wasn’t exactly what we had scripted, but it worked out.”
 
When asked about what changes need to be made for the Diamondbacks in their next competition, Sandbridge said he would like to see some improvements in hitting as his team was only able to get a few hits off of the Blue Sox Pitcher.
 
The Diamondbacks next game will be played on Friday June 11 at 7:30pm on their home field. While the Blue Sox play again at Stonewall Memorial Park in Elkton on Sunday June 6 at 7:30pm.