Blast from Merejo Lifts Hillcats over Woodpeckers
April 23, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release
Small ball and one big blast from Luis Merejo carried the Lynchburg Hillcats to a 9-7 victory over the Fayetteville Woodpeckers on Wednesday evening.
The win marks the Hillcats sixth in a row and fourth over the Woodpeckers. Lynchburg hitters walked a season high 14 times in the contest, while the pitchers racked up their own season high 15 strikeouts.
It was a slow and sloppy start to the ballgame, as 10 walks were issued in the first three innings. In the first two frames, Lynchburg had two base hits grounded right at infielders who failed to get rid of the ball quick enough.
In the second, the Hillcats would get their first two runs of the night, the first of which scoring on a wild pitch from Joan Ogando as Garrett Howe would touch home. Later in the frame, a double steal by Carlos Gutierrez and Jose Pirela would allow the latter to score.
In the third, an error on Luis Merejo would allow a run to cross to cut the lead down to 2-1.
The Hillcats would rebound in the fourth inning after a two-out walk from Tommy Hawke would put a runner aboard for Welbyn Francisca. His double down the line would scratch the lead back up to two.
The fifth inning would swing in favor of the Woodpeckers as walks continued to be an issue for Lynchburg. Oliver Carrillo would smack a three-run home run over the left field wall, putting Fayetteville up 4-3.
Fayetteville would score again in the sixth inning, this time on a throwing error from Welbyn Francisca. Lucas Spence would score all the way from first on the error, extending the visiting lead. An RBI single from Carrillo would push the lead up to three.
The deficit would not scare the Hillcats as they would respond in the bottom half of the frame. With two aboard and two outs, Luis Merejo would blast a three-run shot to left for his third home run of the season, knotting the game up at six.
Merejo would deliver again, this time with less flair, as he picked up a bases loaded walk to retake the lead for Lynchburg. However, in the eighth, a double from Kedaur Trujillo would drive home the tying run after an error extended the inning. For Lynchburg, it was the second straight game with four errors committed.
The tie game would not last long as Lynchburg scored twice in the bottom of the inning. Jose Pirela would line out to left field on a sacrifice fly, giving Lynchburg the lead for good. Alberto Mendez would add an insurance run later in the frame with an RBI single, putting Lynchburg up 9-7.
Isaac Martinez would finish the game off, working three innings and picking up his first win of the season out of the bullpen.
Lynchburg and Fayetteville battle again on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. at Bank of the James Stadium as the Hillcats look to pick up their seventh straight win.
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