HUNTINGTON, W. Va. — Tri-State’s home-opener celebration quickly turned to frustration Monday night, as a six-run ninth inning derailed the Coal Cats (2-2) and handed the Pulaski River Turtles (3-1) a dramatic 10-5 comeback victory at Jack Cook Field.
Tri-State jumped to an early 4-0 lead, scoring all four runs with two outs. Ryan Maggy’s first-inning double plated Michael Rodriguez and Chandler Murray, while Sam Winsett followed in the second with a triple to drive in Cesar Gonzalez and Sal Mineo.
Casey Proctor impressed as the Coal Cats’ starter, allowing just one earned run across four innings. He struck out seven while navigating back-to-back bases-loaded jams, surrendering only a single run on a walk.
However, Tri-State’s offense faltered after its hot start, stifled by Pulaski’s dominant pitching staff, which tallied 17 strikeouts in the game.
“It’s a good group of guys,” Coal Cats manager Tommy Gregg said of his batting order following the loss. “I don’t think this game is going to deter them from coming out tomorrow and swinging the bat.”
Pulaski began its comeback in the sixth inning when JT Taylor lined a single to center field, scoring Sam Koerner and Aden Malpass to cut Tri-State’s lead to 5-3. Taylor later scored on a wild pitch in the eighth, bringing the River Turtles within a run.
Carlos Jazmin kept the Coal Cats in front with a strong eighth inning, striking out three, but he was relieved by Joe Gomez to start the ninth. With Tri-State clinging to a 5-4 lead, the night unraveled.
Gomez, who took the loss, surrendered six runs on three hits and three walks in the final frame. Multiple fielding errors compounded the damage as Pulaski capped a streak of nine unanswered runs to spoil Tri-State’s home opener.
“He just did not have it tonight,” Gregg said of Gomez. “That’s the guy we want on the mound to close the game. He was all over the place and couldn't get it back.”
Pulaski has already established a reputation for resilience this season, frequently scoring runs in bunches and mounting dramatic comebacks. Monday was no exception. An energized home crowd quickly fell silent as the River Turtles shattered Tri-State’s chances with a late-game surge.
The Coal Cats will look to even the series in Game 2 of the home-opening set. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at Jack Cook Field in Huntington. For more information about the Tri-State Coal Cats, visit appyleague.com/tri-state or follow @TriStCoalCats on X and Instagram.
