MIDWAY, Ky. -- After playing their home games at Chandler Field in Versailles for the last three seasons, the Midway baseball team opened their new on-campus stadium on Saturday when they hosted Rio Grande (Ohio) for the first game in their three-game series.
Midway not only opened Tracy Farmer – Don Ball Stadium, but they also opened River States Conference play doing so in style as they defeated the RedStorm by a final score of 7-1 to take game one in the three-game set.
The two teams will conclude their series on Sunday afternoon with a doubleheader beginning at noon ET at Tracy Farmer – Don Ball Stadium.
The Eagles – who improved to 5-10 overall and 1-0 in league play – jumped out to the early 4-0 lead after four innings before adding three in the eighth en route to the 7-1 victory.
Cameron Nichols (Owensboro, Ky.) had a two-run single in the first giving Midway the early 2-0 lead, while Graeham Luttor did some yard work in the third. Facing a 2-1 count, the junior from Toronto, Canada crushed a no-doubter over the left field fence for his third bomb of the year.
The solo home run would be his only 'official' plate appearance of the game as he went 1-for-1 with three walks – two intentional – and one hit by pitch. He also scored three runs in the win.
An RBI single from Tyson Orr (Nashville, Tenn.) in the fourth pushed Midway's lead to 4-0 which would prove to be more than enough for Andy Melgoza. The senior from Oxnard, Calif. was working on another gem allowing just two hits through four innings.
The RedStorm (0-16, 0-1 RSC) got one back in the seventh and brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh, but Midway answered with a three spot in the eighth.
Ryan Davis (Paris, Ky.) and Corey Plahuta (Mt. Washington, Ky.) each had RBI singles, while Marquise Glenn (Atlanta, Ga.) picked up an RBI on a bases loaded walk to make the lead 8-0.
Noah Marion (Louisville, Ky.) – who replaced Melgoza to start the eighth – tossed two scoreless innings to seal the 7-1 victory for his first save of the season. The senior fanned three of the seven batters he faced, while he didn't allow a hit.
Melgoza, meanwhile, picked up the win to move to 3-0 on the year. He pitched seven innings allowing one run on six hits while he struck out a career best eight in the win.
At the plate, Cameron Nichols and Tyson Orr had two hits each, while driving in two and one run, respectively. Graeham Luttor, Ryan Davis, Corey Plahuta and Marquise Glenn each drove in one run in the win.
First pitch for Sunday's doubleheader is set for 12 p.m. ET at Tracy Farmer – Don Ball Stadium.
Follow Midway Eagles Athletics
