Colonial Heights, VA – The Tri-City Chili Peppers recorded their second franchise shutout on Friday night with a 7-0 win over the Martinsville Mustangs.
On Friday Freebie night at Shepard Stadium, fans won $2,000 in cash prizes, but they were also awarded with a sixth consecutive Chili Peppers win.
William & Mary left-handed pitcher Mike Weidinger started off on the mound for Tri-City in his first pitching appearance for the team. He pitched the first four innings, allowing only two hits and two walks with six strikeouts.
“I felt good on the mound,” Weidinger said. “It was my first time out this summer, so it was good to get out there and chuck in.”
During these four innings, the Chili Peppers put up all seven of their runs. Despite a slow start in the first, Tri-City had four runs in the second. A single by Roanoke College second baseman Conner Butler in his first at bat in the second allowed Hunter Gilliam and Greg Ryan to score.
“I was just trying to put the ball in play and get our team some runs,” Butler said. “It turned out I got a base hit.”
The Tri-City offensive success didn’t end there. Kyle Jenkins of Mars Hill University hit a triple that brought Butler and VMI catcher Cole Garrett around the bases for a 4-0 Chili Peppers lead.
In the third, Garrett hit a three-run home run for a second run of the night for him, Gilliam, and Ryan. This advanced the Tri-City lead to seven. However, the Chili Peppers would fail to score again after this large early lead. The pitching had to step up to protect the shutout.
Jamie Kotula of University of Mary – Washington replaced Weidinger on the mound in the fifth, allowing a singular hit. Eastern Mennonite University’s Karson Jennings took the hill in the sixth, holding the Mustangs to only one hit. Catawba Valley Community College pitcher Troy Shepard came out of the bullpen in the seventh, also allowing only one hit. Tri-City had yet another pitching change in the eighth to Randolph Macon’s Wyatt Stanley, who pitched three up, three down against Martinsville. Everett Vaughn of High Point University finished things off for the Chili Peppers, following in Stanley’s footsteps with three up, three down.
“The pitching was absolutely amazing,” head coach James Bierlein said.
This 7-0 win is the second franchise shutout for Tri-City, and their second shutout against the Mustangs. The two teams faced off on opening night, which the Chili Peppers won 3-0. Tri-City has had an impressive start to their season, still undefeated after six games.
“Our success is really good pitching performances and offense,” Bierlein said. “Our guys love playing here in front of these fans in Colonial Heights. Continue to come out and support us and we’ll continue to win.”
The Chili Peppers will remain at home for two more consecutive games. Tonight’s Faith & Family matchup against the Peninsula Pilots begins at 5:45 and will provide the team with the opportunity to tie their total number of wins from last year.