The FredNats brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, but Lynchburg held on for a 7-4 win in the series opener.
The ‘Cats struck in the top of the first inning, as Angel Zarate and Angel Genao each singled to put runners on the corners. Robert Lopez tapped into a double play behind them, with Zarate scoring to take the early 1-0 edge.
Then in the top of the third, a double, walk, and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with one out for Lopez. After taking ball one, he lashed a double all the way to the wall in left-center field to clear the bases and make it a 4-0 lead.
Daylen Lile kicked off a FredNat rally in the bottom of the fourth with a triple, then Sammy Infante promptly drove him in with an RBI single back up the middle. Branden Boissiere followed with a first pitch RBI double, to plate Infante and cut the deficit to 4-2. Later, Max Romero Jr. snuck a ground ball through the right side of the infield to bring Boss across to make it just a 4-3 lead for Lynchburg.
However, the Hillcats responded in their half of the fifth inning. Angel Genao picked up another single, and Zac Fascia singled as well to put two men on with two outs. Jose Devers delivered for Lynchburg with a single into right field, then Juan Benjamin added another run to make it 6-3 after five.
Angel Zarate tacked on another run for the Hillcats in the top of the sixth, but the Freddies matched in the bottom half when Max Romero Jr. blasted a double down the right field line to pull the Nats within three runs.
After a brief lightning delay in the top of the seventh, Lynchburg shut down the Fredericksburg lineup until the bottom of the ninth. A pair of walks brought the tying run to the plate with nobody out, but Fredericksburg could not scratch across a run and fell 7-4.
Alonzo Richardson improved to 4-7 with the win, Brad Lord suffered his first professional loss, and Yeury Gervacio earned his second save.
