Wingnuts Split Twinbill, Take Series

WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Wingnuts split a double header with the Sioux Falls Pheasants on Thursday night at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium, winning game one 4-3 and dropping the night cap 5-3.

The Wingnuts took game 4-3, scoring the winning run on Josh Horn's RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning.  Chris Colton led off the inning with a double to center field

Wichita led for the most of the night, thanks to a pair of RBI singles by Ryan Patterson.  Patterson singled home the first run of the night in the bottom of the first, scoring Horn from third base.  Michael Thompson added an RBI single later in the inning to make it 2-0.  Patterson singled to center field in the third to drive in Eric Williams to give the Wingnuts a 3-0 lead.

The Pheasants fought back against Adam Cowart in the fifth.  Hunter Jobes hit a two-run double down the right field line to cut the lead to 3-2 and scored the tying run on Joe Anthonsen's sacrifice fly to right field.

Cowart took a no-decision, allowing three earned runs in six innings of work.  Cowart struck out five and allowed just four hits.  Doug Hurn earned the win in relief pitching a scoreless top of the seventh.  Pheasants' starter Chris Salberg allowed two earned runs in six innings, also taking a no-decision.  Matt Zachary took the loss, allowing one run on three hits in the bottom of the seventh.

The Pheasants scored three times in the top of the first and never trailed during the nightcap.  Reggie Abercrombie homered to center field off of Gabe Medina two batters into the game to give the Pheasants a 1-0 lead.  Trevor Lawhorn and Hunter Jobes added RBIs in the inning.

Mario Delgado singled home the Wingnuts' first run in the bottom of the first, but had a rally short circuited by a double play.  Wichita hit into four double plays on the night.

A throwing error by Medina allowed two more runs to score in the top of the second.  Medina took the loss, allowing five runs, two earned, in five innings.  Medina struck out four and walked one.

Down 5-2 in the fifth, Delgado drove in his second run of the night with an RBI single.  Later in the inning, the slugger stole his first base of the season.

Will Morgan pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Medina.  Pheasants' reliever Andrew Pluta was credited with the win.  Aaron Cotter worked a scoreless ninth to earn the save for Sioux Falls.

Eric Williams went 3 for 3 in the nightcap, while Josh Horn extended his hitting streak to six games to begin the season.  Horn has hit safely in eight in a row dating back to the end of 2009.

The Wingnuts open a four-game series at home against the St. Paul Saints on Friday night at 7:05 p.m.  Luke Massetti opposes Saints' right-hander Jason Godin.  For tickets, call the Wingnuts' office at (316) 264-NUTS.

-Wingnuts-