Largest Crowd of the Season Can't Lift Dash Past Rome in 8-2 Loss
April 23, 2025 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
WINSTON-SALEM, NC - The Winston-Salem Dash (5-11) opened a six-game homestand against the Rome Emperors (9-7) in front of the 4,900 fans, made mostly of elementary school students for Education Day, at Truist Stadium, but dropped the series opener in an 8-2 contest.
Students from across the Piedmont Triad ditched the backpacks and notebooks for popcorn and soft drinks on a cloudy Tuesday afternoon for Education Day in Winston-Salem, as the Dash opened up their fourth series of the season, and a second against Rome. The Emperors and Dash squared off in the inaugural weekend of the 2025 season, a series Winston-Salem took two games to one.
However, the fourth game between the two went in the visitors' direction. Rome got on the board fast with a two-run top of the first. A pair of singles, one by Will Verdung and another by Ambioris Tavarez, put the Emperors in front 2-0 early.
Rome would tack on another run in the top half of the second, but the Dash answered back with an Arxy Hernandez RBI in the home half of the second to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Despite the answer, Rome went on to score the game's next three runs. In the fourth, Titus Dumitru deposited a single to right field to extend the Emperors' lead to 4-1. Then in the sixth, Lizandro Espinoza launched his second home run of the season and made it 6-1.
Alec Makarewicz and the Dash offense tried to stir the pot after the seventh-inning stretch. Makarewicz roped a double to score Jackson Appel and cut into the deficit, but the momentum belonged to Rome at that point.
The Emperors went on to tack on two more in the top of the ninth on a Bryson Horne home run. The two-run blast was more than enough for Rome, who took the 8-2 win.The Emperors pounced on Tanner McDougal (0-2) for four runs on four hits. McDougal exited the game in the fourth inning after he appeared to roll his ankle on a play when the righty covered first base. JR Ritchie (2-1) earned a well-deserved win for Rome. The right-hander delivered 6.2 innings and allowed just three hits and two runs, with five strikeouts.
The Dash will look to snap a four-game skid Wednesday, April 23, when they are back at home for game two against Rome.
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