Morehead City, N.C. – The Greenville Yard Gnomes powered past the Morehead City Marlins, 8-4, Thursday night at Big Rock Stadium behind a stellar performance from Michael Kalinich, who recorded four hits and drove in three runs.
Greenville (7-17) opened the scoring in the first inning, as Landry Stamps delivered a two-run single to bring home Jacob Green and Joe Whitaker.
The Marlins (14-10) answered in the bottom half with a run on a Tanner Mally groundout, then tied the game in the second when Mally’s fielder’s choice scored Chase Bloomer.
The Gnomes responded in a big way in the third. Holden Pantier scored on a groundout, Stamps crossed home on a Kalinich single, and Kalinich later scored on a Brody Gardner sacrifice fly to put Greenville ahead 5-2.
Greenville extended its lead in the fourth inning. Pantier scored again on a putout, and Kalinich knocked in Stamps with a double to stretch the lead to 7-2.
Morehead City mounted a late push, with Jack Meyer hitting a solo home run in the sixth and doubling home Bloomer in the seventh to trim the lead to 7-4.
But Kalinich capped off his impressive night with another RBI single in the eighth, scoring Stamps to secure the win.
Maddox Jones earned the win for Greenville, pitching 2.2 innings and allowing just two runs on three hits. Ian Korn took the loss for Morehead City after surrendering four earned runs on five hits in just 2.1 innings.
Up Next: The Yard Gnomes return home to Guy Smith Stadium for a Fourth of July showdown against the Greensboro Ducks. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.