Most people say Christmas comes but once per year.

Those people evidently haven’t been to Greenville, North Carolina recently. 

On Saturday at Guy Smith Stadium, it was “Christmas In July” night as players wore special pregame warmup tops, Santa Claus himself threw out the first pitch (Walt Libby, the jolly greeter who regularly meets fans at the park with his “signature hand shake” while doubling as “Gnuckles,” made for a convincing Jolly Old Elf) and numerous holiday songs from many eras were played before, during and after the game between the Yard Gnomes and Wilson Tobs. 

On their way to win number 11 of 2024, Greenville (11-32) rode one of their best pitching performances of the summer as LHP Hayden Johnson (Coastal Carolina) struck out a season-best seven while allowing just three runs and three hits over six innings which included three walks. 

After going five strong with six punchouts in his win last Saturday against the very same Tobs, Johnson went longer and did more one week later on his way to another winning decision which included a striking out of the side in the 3^rd. With the victory, Johnson moved to 2-2 this season. 

With Johnson taking care of the defense, Greenville needed just one big inning to put away Wilson (23-18) on Saturday as a four-run 6^th for the Yard Gnomes broke a 3-3 tie with the Tobs and came just in time as thunderstorms loomed. 

With the Tobs keeping pace into the middle frames thanks to solo homeruns in the 2^nd and 4^th innings from Luke Walton (Toledo, 1-2 RBI) and Mac Wainwright (Salem University, 1-3 RBI) respectively, Greenville needed two runs in the home 4^th to scratch out their first lead of the night as both Cason Eubanks (Troy University, 1-3, walk) and Gage Griggs (John A. Logan College, 2-4) plated off of a throwing error by Wilson starter Jonah Milchuck (Central Michigan, 4.0 IP, eight hits, 2 ER, walk, three strikeouts). 

With the bases loaded in the 5^th following a hit by pitch and two walks consecutively to start the inning from Johnson, Wilson tied the game at three runs aside as Luke Walton plated via a fielder’s choice. 

Lefty Marshall Whitmer (Georgetown University) entered and pitched in the 6^th for the Tobs and found the sleigh ride a bit bumpy to start as he walked Nick Rodriguez (South Florida, 1-3) and gave up a single to Gage Griggs in order. 

Next up was Aden Howard (University of San Diego) who has now hit safely in five straight games. Howard singled off of Whitmer and the latter got tagged with a throwing error seconds later that plated both Rodriguez and Griggs. 

Howard would not have to wait long to score himself as Jack Herring (East Carolina University) continued his torrid stretch of hitting with an RBI single that momentarily made it a 5-3 Greenville lead over Wilson. 

Herring, who is just a little over a week removed from his commitment to ECU, now owns a six-game hitting streak which includes eight knocks, four RBI and two doubles. The Atlanta, Georgia native currently sits fifth in the Coastal Plain League in total base hits with a little over a week remaining in the regular season. 

Uriah Walters (Weatherford, 1-4, RBI) drove in Herring with two outs on the board to cap a four-run 6^thfor the Yard Gnomes which had Greenville ahead 7-3 with the 7^th in the offing. 

Wilson made a charge in the 8^th after scoring one run in the 7^th and loaded the bases with two outs but that is when the skies opened up over Guy Smith Stadium.

Heavy rain combined with thunder and lightning paused play for almost an hour before the contest was finally called due to weather. A smattering of fans remained in the grandstands during the delay and their loyalty again demonstrated why summer league baseball is starting to become a “thing” in the city sometimes referred to as “G-Vegas”. 

Every player in the lineup recorded at least one base hit for Greenville in the win as the Yard Gnomes racked up 13 total knocks. It was the fourth time this week that Greenville recorded double digit hits. 

Marshall Whitmer took the loss for Wilson as the Mount Pleasant, South Carolina native fell to 3-1 on the summer. The lefty faced five in the defeat while surrendering two earned runs and three base hits. Whitmer also recorded both a walk and a strikeout. 

Greenville will wrap up their penultimate weekend of regular season baseball on Sunday as the East Division-leading Peninsula Pilots (31-11, 15-3 in the second half) visit Guy Smith Stadium for a 5:05 PM first pitch on “Cartoon Night.” 

Notes: Total game time was two hours and thirty-one minutes.