Outer Banks falls to Morehead City 4-3 after 10 innings

By Tommy Swankie

The Outer Banks Daredevils dropped their home opener 4-3 Wednesday night after 10 innings against upstart Morehead City.

The Marlins are in their first year in the Coastal Plain League.

Daredevils pitcher Chris O’Hare threw six strong innings, allowing only one earned run with five hits and fanning eight.

Second baseman Matt Ittner and shortstop Jon Tadeo turned a double play to end the first inning and pull O’Hare out of a bases-loaded jam. In the fifth, O’Hare struck out the side to end another bases-loaded threat. In the sixth O’Hare, fielded a ground ball and turned another double play, which had the fans roaring.

The Daredevils scored two of their runs in the first inning, one on a sacrifice fly by third baseman Jake Stone that drove in designated hitter Nathan Chong. Left fielder Tony Micklon hit a two-out RBI single.

In the second, Chong stole second base and later scored on a passed ball.

Drew Wingo, a catcher-turned-pitcher, came in for relief in the seventh. Marlins first baseman Preston Shuey drove in two runs off Wingo to tie the game 3-3. Wingo allowed two hits and struck out two over two innings. Center fielder Tyler Barrington made a crucial diving catch in the eighth to save what could have been a double.

The Daredevils lost a chance to put the game away when they came up scoreless after loading the bases in the ninth.

Left-hander Eddie Perkins started the 10th, but was unable to hold the Marlins. He walked one, then Ittner bobbled the ball trying to hurry a double play, ending up with no outs. A grounder scored one to give the Marlins a 4-3 lead.

The Daredevils failed to score in the bottom of the 10th, handing Perkins the loss. Perkins gave up one unearned run with no hits and one strikeout.

“It was disappointing. We hit some hard balls, but it’s tough not being able to score,” coach Jeff Wicker said. “But it’s only one game, and we got fifty-five more to play.”

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