WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic baseball team began its second weekend of the season with a matchup with the Tigers from West Alabama.
The Sailfish trailed late in the game before a three-run eighth inning, highlighted by a two-RBI pinch-hit single from
Finley Holmes, gave PBA a 4-3 lead.
Nick Feretic earned the win on the bump, forcing a 463 double play to end the game and give the 'Fish their first win of 2025.
Some shoddy PBA defense caused starter
Nolan Smoot to work harder in the first three innings of the game. Three PBA errors allowed UWA to take a 1-0 lead through three innings. The Sailfish had a chance to answer in the fourth inning after a pair of singles by
Ben Green and
Matthew Faranda put two runners on with no outs. A swinging bunt allowed both runners to move into scoring position, but a pair of strikeouts ended the inning.
The Tigers struck for two more runs in the top of the sixth. Smoot surrendered a pair of walks and a single to load the bases with no outs. A single to left field scored one run to make it a 2-0 game. Ferertic got a strikeout for the first out of the inning, but a groundout drove in the second run, giving the visitors a 3-0 lead.
With Faranda on second with two outs in the bottom of the sixth,
Patrick Rakes came through with a clutch knock to left-center to get the Sailfish on the board, 3-1. UWA got two runners aboard in the eighth, but Feretic maneuvered through the inning to escape unscathed after a pair of flyouts.
Chris Amparo and
Jake McNamara started the bottom of the eighth with a pair of singles. Rakes walked to load the bases with no outs. A passed ball allowed Amparo to score and made it a 3-2 game. After a strikeout, Holmes entered the game and sent a line-drove to leftfield, driving in a pair of runs and giving the 'Fish a 4-3 lead. The hit was the first of his Sailfish career.
Feretic started the ninth with a strikeout before giving up a single with one out. He started the next batter with a 3-0 count but forced the groundball to second, leading to a close double play to end the game and secure the 4-3 win.
PBA outhit the Tigers, 11-8. Green, Faranda, and Amparo had two hits each. Smoot pitched five innings, giving up two earned runs on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Feretic earned his first win of the season, pitching four scoreless innings of relief. He gave up two hits and two walks with five strikeouts.
The 'Fish are back in action on Saturday, taking on Washburn. The game at J.M. "Jake" Rubin Park starts at 1 p.m.
