Early Offense Enough in FredNats' 4-2 Win over Charleston
April 22, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Fredericksburg Nationals News Release
FREDERICKSBURG, VA - The Fredericksburg Nationals (9-7) scored four runs in the first two innings and held on to win 4-2 over the Charleston RiverDogs (6-10) to take game one of the six-game series at Virginia Credit Union Stadium.
The starting pitching matchup pitted two arms against each other that were drafted 13 picks apart last July, with Fredericksburg's Davian Garcia (Round 6, 170th overall) meeting Charleston's Jacob Kmatz (Round 5, 157th overall) and Garcia was up for the task. The Florida Gulf Coast product fired a 1, 2, 3 first inning to begin his third start of the season, bringing his bats up for the first time.
The FredNat hitters didn't wait around against Kmatz. On the first pitch of the game, right fielder Cristhian Vaquero wrapped a double down the line in right field, setting up an Elijah Nunez single and a Jackson Ross walk. With the bases loaded and nobody out, the reigning Carolina League Player of the Week, Jorgelys Mota, beat out a potential double-play ball to pick up an RBI on a fielder's choice, making it 1-0 Fredericksburg.
The FredNats then piled on Kmatz in the second inning. Again, they picked up a first-pitch base hit when Randal Diaz laced a single to center to lead off the inning. Moises Gallardo followed with a base hit of his own and then both advanced on a passed ball. With two on and nobody out, Yoander Rivero stepped up from the ninth spot in the order. After going 4/14 in Fayetteville with a pair knocked in, Rivero ripped a double in his first at-bat of the series to drive in two more. He'd finish the night 2/2 with a walk and was never retired.
The FredNats scored another off of Kmatz in the inning, handing Garcia a 4-0 lead after two and he ran with it. Garcia faced the minimum with a punchout in the second, allowed a walk but no hits in the third and battled through traffic in the fourth and fifth but completed his outing without giving Charleston a run. He finished five innings for the first time in his career and left with Fredericksburg still in front 4-0.
Despite the early trouble, Kmatz sailed further into the game than Garcia, allowing just one hit from innings three to six and not giving up another run. The RiverDog bullpen was spotless as well and held the FredNats scoreless in the seventh and eighth.
The Nationals did just enough, though, surviving unearned runs allowed in the sixth and seventh and handing the ball to former MLB shortstop turned reliever Erick Mejia in the ninth. Mejia gave up two hits but blew a fastball by Jack Lines to secure the series-opening win and grab his second save of the season.
Garcia (1-1) got the win, saddling Kmatz (1-1) with the loss in a well-pitched game.
The FredNats have an early wake-up call Wednesday, sending Opening Day starter Bryan Polanco (0-2, 6.52) to the mound against Jayden Voelker (0-1, 22.50) in an 11:05 a.m. start.
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