Acadiana explodes late to rout Twins
Texarkana will be looking for a turnaround in second half play of the Texas Collegiate League.
The first half ended Friday at George Dobson Field on a disappointing note to Acadiana, 13-5.
The Twins have rallied from a disastrous start this summer to finish tied for fourth place with the Texas Marshals in the opening half of league play.
Trenton Trosclair's grand slam in the eighth inning put the Cane Cutters' on top for good. Trosclair's homer shut the door on the Twins, who had rallied to within a single run (6-5) in the seventh.
Run-scoring hits by Chandler Robertson and Troy Black in the seventh had rallied Texarkana back into Friday's game.
The Twins dodged a bullet in the first inning when Acadiana's Logan Bottrell reached safely on an infield error. He was erased by catcher Blake Porter trying to steal. However, Daniel Lehare singled to center and Handsome Monica walked. McCarley got out of the inning on a fielder's choice.
McCarley wasn't as fortunate in the second inning when Brady Bell singled to center to start the frame, and Trey Morgan hit a 1-1 offering over the left field fence to put the Cane Cutters on top, 2-0.
That lead disappeared in a matter of minutes when Kyle Bottger walked to start the Twins' second, and Drake
Osborn punched a single to right. Cale Ridling then hit the eighth pitch he had seen from righthander Evan Daigle over the right field fence for his third home run of the summer to make it 3-2.
The Twins' advantage disappeared just as quickly.
Daniel Lehare tripled to start the third, scoring two outs later on Bell's second hit of the game. Bell moved up on Morgan's single to left, and both runners scored when Trenton Trosclair lined a triple to left-center to give the Cane Cutters a 5-3 lead.
McCarley was relieved by Reid Gage in the sixth after throwing 104 pitches in five innings. He allowed nine hits, walked three with no strikeouts.
Gage got himself in trouble in the sixth, hitting two batters after Bottrell had doubled. He had a chance to get out of the inning, but a throwing error by second baseman Gunner Halter scored Bottrell to make it 6-3.
Bell led the Cane Cutters' hitting assault with five singles. Trosclair had a triple to go with his roundtripper, while Bottrell, Lehare, Gabe Montenegro and Morgan added two hits each.
Drake Osborn led the Twins with a double and two singles. Black also had two hits.
Slugger Alex Rodriguez was missing from the Twins' lineup Friday because of an injured hand. Since joining the Twins two weeks ago Rodriguez is hitting .567.