DANVILLE, Va. - It was as if the Otterbots were shot out of a cannon. Danville collected their fourth win of the season, downing the Tri-State Coal Cats, 8-4. Their run total was the highest they have scored since June 11, when they notched 10 runs vs. Pulaski.
It started with their pitching. The Otterbots’ starter, Andrew Evans, was flawless until the fifth inning, when he gave up a two-run home run to the Coal Cats’ shortstop, Sam Winsett. Besides that, he had five strikeouts and limited Tri-State to two hits total.
“I think he has been great all the way around,” Danville manager Mickey Tettleton said of Evans. “You can tell he has a lot of talent. He’s very aware of what he’s doing on the mound. He’s got really good stuff.”
On the offensive side, the story began in the second inning. First baseman Garrett Shull smacked a double to right field, his third of the year. It brought shortstop Seth Smith around to score. Three batters later, third baseman Zach Altamura delivered an RBI single to left, plating Shull and designated hitter Khaleel Pratt.
But the loudest hit came off the bat of second-year catcher Charlie Carter. In the third, with the bases loaded, he hit a moonshot, 387 feet to left. His grand slam propelled the Otterbots to a 7-0 lead.
“I Didn’t know if I quite got enough of it,” Carter said with a smile, “but I saw it go over the wall; it felt good going around the bases.”
In the fifth, both teams traded off scoring, and the score was 8-2 going into the sixth inning. Danville’s eighth run also came off the bat of Carter, who hit his season-first double to bring Shull home again.
The Otterbots’ relievers, Brooks Chamberlin and Tyler Davis, did their job as well. Each pitched one inning in relief.
“It’s good to get back in the win column. Now we’ll see if we can keep it going,” Carter said. “We’ll have a nice day off tomorrow, and [look to] keep it rolling on Tuesday.”
“Guys are having better at-bats, more consistent,” Tettleton said. “We’re having big hits when we need them, like Charlie’s…but more than anything, it’s just starting to put at-bats together, shutout innings together after we score, which has kind of eluded us a bit.”
Danville now has an off day before welcoming the Burlington Sock Puppets back into town Tuesday. First pitch will be at 7 p.m.
For more information on 2025 single-game tickets, season tickets, corporate partnerships and group outings, email matt@danvilleotterbots.com or call the Otterbots front office at 434-554-4487. The Danville Otterbots will play their home games at American Legion Field at Dan Daniel Memorial Park.
