Squirrels heating up ahead of World Series

Jack Evans (11) sprints during the Charleston Squirrels’ doubleheader win over the Missouri Marlins at Hillhouse Park on Wednesday, July 31.

Dennis Marshall ~ Standard-Democrat

CHARLESTON, Mo. — The mercury isn’t the only thing rising in Charleston this summer.

The Fighting Squirrels are on fire, having won 10 of their last 11 games. The latest conquest, a doubleheader sweep of the Missouri Marlins at Hillhouse Park on Wednesday, July 31, clearly indicates that the team is peaking at the right time.

“We had a solid night,” said Charleston coach Michael Minner. “The pitching was really good. We just have to keep throwing strikes and mixing our pitches up.”

The Squirrels’ dominance was evident in both games of the doubleheader. In the opener, Peyton Hodges took the mound and silenced the Marlins’ bats, throwing four shutout innings with nine strikeouts to earn the win. Levi McKinnie closed the door in the final frame, securing a 2-0 victory.

The Squirrels scratched across their runs in the second and third innings, with Lawson Graff scoring on a balk and Chase Worthy crossing home on Owen Osborne’s single.

“We looked rusty but you expect that after a week off,” Minner said. “We just need to get guys some work and get back in a routine.”

The second game saw the Marlins strike first, but the Squirrels quickly responded with a five-run explosion in the bottom of the first inning. Osborne’s double scored Will Green, Will Friley’s single drove in Osborne and Bennett Logan, and two more runs scored on a Marlins error.

Brady Smith delivered a strong four-inning start for the Squirrels, striking out six and allowing no earned runs, while Logan slammed the door shut in the fifth.

The Squirrels’ recent surge couldn’t be timed any better. With the World Series looming just days away, the team is peaking at the right moment, displaying the kind of dominant form that could make them a dangerous opponent in the tournament.

Before shifting its focus to the World Series, Charleston will host its annual Alumni Game on Friday, August 2, and then conclude the regular season with a doubleheader against the Southeast Tropics on Monday, August 5, at Hillhouse Park.

The Babe Ruth 19U World Series begins on Friday, Aug. 9, with games at Capaha Park and Cape Central High School. The Squirrels will open their tournament journey against Australia at Capaha Park at 8 p.m.