The Tri City Chili Peppers competed in split squad action for the first time in the 2023 season Saturday night, earning a 1-1 split of their two games. The Chili Peppers suffered their first loss of the season in CPL action at the Wilmington Sharks while the team’s alter ego, the Chilly Peppers took a victory at Shepherd Stadium over the Greenbrier Knights.

Colonial Heights, VA- It wasn’t the offensive explosion that the final score would suggest for the Tri-City Chilli Peppers’ alter ego the Chilly’s in Saturday night’s 7-3 exhibition victory over the Greenbrier Knights. 

Cornell right-hander Ethan Hamill started on the rubber for the Chilly’s and despite giving up one of the Knights’ three hits in his two innings, he also provided five of Tri-City’s 18 strikeouts.

A big — yet hitless — bottom of the second gave Tri-City control. Six Chilly batters were either walked or plunked by Knights starter Jacob Raguini (King) and a pair of wild pitches brought in a couple of runs in a four-run inning that gave the Chilly Peppers a 4-1 lead. Shortstop Jonny Wall went 2-for-5 on the night and leadoff man Bobby Ayscue doubled bringing in two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, extending the Chilly Pepper lead to 6-1. 

Long-haired flamethrower Tim Hart stole the crowd on Sheperd Stadium’s 80s/Neon night in the seventh striking out the side and strutting around the mound. 

The Chilly’s error-free defense was most impressive on Saturday night, while 18 of the team’s 27 outs were strikeouts in a 7-3 win.

Official Box Score:Tri-City Chili Peppers vs. Greenbrier Knights – Coastal Plain League – boxscore | Pointstreak Sports Technologies 

Wilmington, NC- Tri-City took a 6-5 lead in the away half of the eighth inning, but the Wilmington Sharks scored twice in the home half of the inning to hand the Chili Peppers their first loss of the season in CPL play. It was a close, back and forth ball game that saw four lead changes and a maximum lead margin of two runs for either team. Walker Pedante (Caldwell Tech CC) started and allowed three runs over four innings with six walks and one strike but left the game with the lead.

Danny Estrada (Frostburg State) started the game with a bang for the visitors blasting a no-doubt two-run home run to right field to give Tri-City (4-1) a 2-0 lead. It was the second home run of the season for Estrada and it also extended a three-game hitting streak to four games.

Wilmington tied the game 2-2 in the second inning taking advantage of a bases loaded situation and then taking the lead on a fielder’s choice ground out in the third inning but the Chili Peppers re-took the lead at 4-3 all during a wild Alex Christie (Hanover) at bat. Henry Cooke (Virginia Tech) led off the inning with a single and then reached third base on a throwing error by Wilmington’s pitcher after fielding a Michael Dolberry (Longwood) comebacker. That’s when things got wacky. Dolberry took off for second base and when he drew a throw down Cooke took off for home and scored to tie the game with Dolberry also moving to third when the throw to the plate went to the backstop. Christie brought Dolberry in to score on a sacrifice fly and restore the Tri-City lead.

The Chili Peppers added to their lead in the top of the seventh on a wild pitch during a Will Bean (Virginia Commonwealth) at bat that scored Dalton Hurst (New Orleans). Bean added a single in the at bat to extend a three game hitting streak, with all three of his hits coming in the seventh inning or later. Wilmington however scored two runs in each of their last two innings around an eighth inning error that scored Dolberry and gave Tri-City a brief 6-5 lead until the Sharks made it 7-6 in their half of the eighth. The Chili Peppers were retired in order in the ninth inning, dropping their first game of the season.

Official Box Score:  Wilmington Sharks vs. Tri-City Chili Peppers – Coastal Plain League – boxscore | Pointstreak Sports Technologies

Upcoming Games:

Sunday, June 4 (5:45) vs. Peninsula Pilots, Mental Health Awareness Night

Tuesday June 6 (7:05) @ Wilson, Listen in on Mixlr @Tri City Chili Peppers

Thursday, June 8 (7:05) @ Peninsula, Listen in on Mixlr @Tri City Chili Peppers

Friday, June 9 (7:00) vs. Peninsula, LOVE 4 The Game Night