After slugging 16 homeruns this spring with Salem University in West Virginia, Mackenzie Wainwright kept his big fly game going on Monday in Greenville, NC for the Wilson Tobs as the rising sophomore homered in his first three at-bats against the Yard Gnomes and helped the visitors from just over 30 minutes north to a 9-4 win on Memorial Day at Guy Smith Stadium.

Wilson, who lost their first game of the season on Saturday in Florence, SC to the Flamingos (10-9 final), piled up 12 total base hits (three of those on the homeruns by Wainwright) to move to a 3-1 mark on the still young 2024 Coastal Plain League season.

Wainwright hit a solo shot in the second, added another in the fourth and then caused momentary pandemonium with his two-run blast in the fifth that made it a 6-0 game in favor of the Tobs, a lead Wilson would increase in the sixth after a Dawerlyn Amancio single plated AJ Jones to make it 7-0.

Greenville (1-4) showed some late offense as two runs crossed in the sixth behind a Joe Siervo (Western Kentucky) single that plated Jack Reynolds (Gulf Coast State) who doubled with two outs. Jack Herring (Rollins College), who finished with a 4-4, 3 RBI line which included an eighth inning two-run homer, plated Siervo later in the same frame behind an RBI double. Greenville tallied five extra base hits in the game, nine in total which tied the same nine that the Yard Gnomes posted in Friday’s (May 24^th) home opening win over Tri-City.

Wilson’s 12 base hits were the second most of their campaign following a 15-hit performance on Saturday in the loss to Florence.

Outside of Wainwright’s impressive showing, the Tobs also garnered strong outings from both shortstop Colby Ott (Eastern Kentucky, 2-5 with two runs scored) and right fielder Dawerlyn Amancio (Chowan, 2-5 with two RBI).

RHP Jonah Milchuck (Central Michigan) started for Wilson on the mound and went four innings with three hits allowed and three strikeouts. Andrew Simone (Barton College) closed things down defensively for the visitors in the ninth inning as the Bulldog turned Tob struck out one in four faced while allowing just one base hit.

RHP Preston Chaudoin (Murray State) toed the rubber to begin the game for Greenville and, like Milchuck, also went four innings. Chaudoin chalked up two strikeouts, three walks and four earned runs. Chaudoin, making his second appearance of the season, gave up five base hits in his four frames of work.

These same two teams in the Coastal Plain League’s Eastern Division will play again tomorrow night at Historic Fleming Stadium in Wilson, NC with a scheduled first pitch time of 7 PM. The meeting will be the second of a slated nine this season.

Following the trip to Wilson, Greenville will return home following an off day on Wednesday to host Morehead City on Thursday night (May 30^th) from Guy Smith Stadium. It will be “Tallboy Thursday” at the ballpark as the Yard Gnomes will offer a Specialty Beverage Menu.

To keep up with the Yard Gnomes on social media, follow Greenville on X (@YardGnomes), Instagram (@YardGnomesBaseball) and Facebook.