EPP SHUTS OUT ROADRUNNERS IN SEASON OPENER
Posted May 15, 2016
Rebels right hander Corey Epp was dominant in his first start of the 2016 Powerline Baseball League season, tossing a two-hit 10-0 shutout against the Roadrunners at Ryley Ballpark on Saturday afternoon in a mercy rule shortened game.
| Saturday May 14, 2016 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camrose Roadrunners | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Ryley Rebels | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | - | - | 10 | 9 | 1 | 9 |
Win - Corey Epp (1-0) Loss - Aaron Hayes
Epp would yield only two bloop singles during the game, one to Marcel Lesoway in the first inning and another to Brett Keohne in the fourth. The only other base runners surrendered by Epp was a hit by pitch in the top of the first inning, a fielding error charged to emergency short stop Tom Shulba in the fifth inning and a walk in the fifth inning. The complete game shut out on Opening Day is the first in Epp’s career and the first in Ryley Rebels team history.
A pair of Roadrunner errors in the bottom of the second inning would allow left fielder Kris Kushnerick and first baseman Kevin Reinholt to score the first two runs of the game on RBI singles by rookie right fielder Josh McDonald and pitcher Corey Epp. Seven of the nine Rebel starters would pick up a hit on the day including four doubles, one each from Kushnerick, Reinholt, Shulba and Craig Koughan to lead the offence to ten runs on nine hits and a mercy evoked win on Opening Day. Roadrunners start Aaron Hayes would be on the hook for the loss allowing five hits and two unearned runs in his three innings of work for Camrose.
The win is Epp’s twentieth of his Rebels career, moving his all time record to 20-16 since 2009 and becoming the first twenty game winner in modern Rebels history ahead of Craig Koughan’s 14-11 and Kris Kushnerick 9-6 records.
The loss for the Camrose Roadrunners is the franchises thirty-first in a row dating back to the 2013 Powerline Baseball League season. The last win for the franchise occurred on July 4, 2013 when they would defeat the Holden Blue Jays 6-3 at Harry Andreassen Field in Camrose for their fifth and final win of the 2013 season. Game one was another tough loss for the black and grey Roadrunners as the tenth and final run of the mercy evoked loss came on a walk off bases loaded third strike wild pitch to score Rebels catcher Chad Nelson from third base with two outs.
If there is one thing the Rebels will have to work on moving forward it is cashing in runners. The team left a total of nine runners on base, eight of which were left in scoring position.
Up next for the Rebels will be a trip to Fred Johns Park in Leduc to take on the Milleteers on Tuesday May 17. Both teams were victorious on Saturday with the Milleteers defeating the defending PBL Champion Armena Royals 9-4 on the road to kick off their season. Meanwhile the Roadrunners find themselves on the road to take on the 2015 PBL Finalist Rosalind Athletics on Tuesday. The Rosalind Athletics are 1-0 after defeating the Bardo Athletics 5-2 on Saturday afternoon at the Bardo Recreation Grounds.