Despite efficient outings by starter Evan Holewinski and reliever Jack Brooker, Tri-State met its match on the mound in a 3-0 shutout loss to the Bristol State Liners on the road Tuesday evening.
Both teams showcased their pitching prowess early in the matchup, but the Coal Cats’ offense also made a solid first impression with two hits in the opening inning. However, State Liners’ starter Matthew Lynch stranded both runners and kept the Cats at bay. Meanwhile, the product of Kent State tossed two hitless innings for Tri-State to keep the game scoreless through two innings.
Even though Tri-State put runners on to begin the game, Bristol opened the scoring in the third. After a single and throwing error put runners in scoring position, Bristol took a 1-0 lead with a balk before extending its lead with an RBI double by third baseman Esteban Garcia.
Despite the rough third inning, Holewinski pitched a commendable and record-setting start for the Coal Cats. His five innings on the mound were the most by any Coal Cats pitcher this season, striking out five batters while giving up just three hits and two runs.
However, the Tri-State bats faced just as formidable a foe on the hill. Though both Ryan Limerick and Chace Chaplin reached in the fifth, neither scored as Lynch went on to fan seven batters and give up three hits in six innings of work.
Limerick struck again in the seventh with a single and subsequent steal, but the Bristol bullpen held steady to conclude seven shutout innings. In the bottom half, a leadoff walk and single set up Bristol’s Mikah Conner for an RBI single that gave the State Liners a 3-0 lead.
Spencer Barnett gave the Coal Cats life in the top of the ninth with a one-out single to center, but it was not enough to start a rally. Barnett’s single proved to be the Cats’ lone hit in the ninth as reliever Noah Palmese secured the State Liners’ shutout victory.
At a 7-10 overall record, Tri-State remains fourth in the East division. In the West, Bristol improves to 8-10 and also sits at fourth place in its respective division. The Cats can split with the State Liners in Wednesday’s series finale, beginning at 4 p.m.
