Photo Credit: Bradley Walker NGSC Sports
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Under another beautiful blue sky with no clouds in sight, the wind was once again blowing and cooling the night down. Before the Clearwater Threshers and Daytona Tortugas took the field for the fifth game of a six-game series, there was an amateur softball game. In the previous four games that Clearwater has scored more runs towards the tail end of the game. In last night’s game, that was different because in the bottom of the first, they struck first with a two-run double by second baseman Arron Escobar that gave them a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. That did not end the scoring as Kodey Shojinaga got an RBI single to increase the Threshers’ lead to 3-0 after the first inning. Even with the lead, Clearwater continued to have trouble with walks.
The walks with a combination of a sac-fly, Daytona scored three runs in the top of the second inning to tie the game at three. On top of the walks, many wild pitches moved runners up that would take Clearwater longer to get out of innings. With that problem comes more pitching, and it makes it harder on the pitcher that is the game. There would not be another run scored till the fourth, and that would be by the Threshers to give them a one-run lead. It would be an adjustment by both teams’ pitchers for two innings there were no runs scored. Daytona got the tying run in top of the seventh, which their fans started to cheer, thinking that we may see extra innings.
The home fans for the Threshers once again were able to cheer as DH Eduardo Tait hit a long fly ball down the right field line. It looked fouled, but it was fair, and it was a solo home run, the second for Tait in the series. Which meant that if Thresher’s pitching could get three outs to win the game. That is exactly what happened, and the Threshers walked off with another win and three out of five games against Daytona. The Tortugas had issues with leaving runners on base. Despite the walks and wild pitches, the Threshers also committed three errors but still came out on top. Clearwater got timely hits when they needed them to get this win, 5-4.
Weston Wilson was making an MLB rehab start. He has been mainly with the Triple-A affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. Wilson has seen time with the Philadelphia Phillies. Daytona ran out of challenges in the first inning as each team only gets three. The MiLB uses a robot computer system that tells the umpire what the call is. The only three players that can challenge are the pitcher, catcher, or hitter. This worked out well for Clearwater because down the stretch, the Tortugas could have asked for certain calls that could have gone either way. The final game of the series will take place tomorrow, as it will conclude the first series between these two teams in 2025. There was an outstanding fireworks display after the game, which the fans enjoyed.
What are your thoughts on the Clearwater Threshers win? Leave a comment below.
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Author Profile
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Bradley Walker serves as the Director of Operations for NGSC Sports, bringing extensive experience across collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics. His coverage spans USF Athletics, including football, baseball, lacrosse, and softball, as well as University of Tampa baseball.
Bradley also provides coverage of minor league baseball with the Clearwater Threshers and Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. On the national stage, he covers college football bowl games and conference championship matchups, along with premier golf events across the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and LPGA Tour.
In addition to his reporting work, Bradley is the play-by-play announcer for Pinellas Park High School Patriots football, lending his voice and insight to Friday night lights.
He is also an active podcast host and contributor, serving as a co-host on the P&W Sports Report and hosting The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.
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[…] base 14 games in a row, and he set another game when he had a hit, making it 15 straight games. Clearwater did not waste much time as the leadoff hitter hit a solo home run, quickly giving the Threshers the […]