BURLINGTON, N.C. — In a back-and-forth contest, Burlington walked off Elizabethton to secure consecutive wins for the first time this season. It was a pitchers' duel early. Gabe Magallan got the start for the Sock Puppets, striking out five over three innings. Ty Bradle entered in relief for his second appearance of the summer and tossed four strong frames to keep Burlington within striking distance.
The offense broke through in the bottom of the fourth when Dusty Vela’s sacrifice fly scored Bromely Thornton. Bradle returned for the fifth and held the one-run lead.
After scoring 17 runs in its previous game, Elizabethton was held scoreless until the sixth, when Jackson Berry tied it with a run-scoring groundout. Burlington quickly regained the lead in the bottom half of the seventh on a Zach Jackson RBI.
In the eighth, right-hander Haldon Craig was called upon with the bases loaded and one out. The Cal State Bakersfield product responded with back-to-back strikeouts to preserve the lead.
But Elizabethton answered in the ninth, scoring twice to take its first lead of the night.
Down to their final out in the bottom of the ninth, the Sock Puppets sparked a rally. Jackson, making his Burlington debut, beat out an infield dribbler to keep the game alive. Avery Smith followed with a walk, setting the stage for Chance Jennings, who lined the first pitch to left field to score Jackson and tie it at 3.
With the game on the line, Dom Krupinski ripped a 100 mph grounder to second and beat the throw to first, driving in Smith for the walk-off win.
Burlington looks to make it three straight tonight at 7 p.m. Gates open at 6 at Burlington Athletic Stadium.
You can get tickets for tonight here: https://www.appyleague.com/burlington/tickets/single-game
