Steel City Slammin’ Sammies, Brilliance Baseball Sox earn wins in 1st night of baseball at Wild Things Park

Greg Macafee
Thursday, July 9, 2020 10:05 p.m. | Thursday, July 9, 2020 10:05 p.m.

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Greg Macafee | Tribune-Review

Norwin grad and Slammin’ Sammies pitcher Tommy Shirley throws a pitch during their season opener at Wild Things Park on Thursday, July 9, 2020.

Greg Macafee | Tribune-Review

Washington Wild Things leadoff hitter Terrence Pinkston gets set for a pitch during the season opener on Thursday, July 9, 2020 at Wild Things Park.

The Steel City Slammin’ Sammies wasted no time lighting up the scoreboard on the first night of baseball at Wild Things Park this summer.

Led by home runs in the first two innings, the Slammin’ Sammies earned their first win of the summer as they beat the Washington Wild Things, 3-1, Thursday night.

The game was part of a four-team in-house league that will play two games a night every Thursday through Sunday at the Washington ballpark. It was created when the Frontier League canceled its 2020 season last month.

As the second hitter of the ballgame, Blackhawk alum Joe Campagna, who was one of 11 former WPIAL players playing in the game, hit a home run to left field to push his team ahead 1-0.

Teammate Nick Ward followed suit in the second inning, crushing a pitch to the parking lot in right field extend the Slammin’ Sammies’ lead. They never looked back from there.

Five Sammies pitchers combined to give up just five hits. Austin Kitchen went home with the win after throwing two innings of three-hit ball and only allowing one run.

Norwin grad Tommy Shirley got the start for the Sammies and only allowed two hits in four innings of work, striking out four. Peters Township alum Jordan Jankowski got the save for the Sammies.

Ward led the way for Steel City with two hits and an RBI. Liam Sabino and Dalton Combs also registered hits.

The Wild Things scored their only run of the night in the bottom of the sixth inning when left fielder Chris Kwitzer came around to score after a Kitchens throwing error into center field.

Wild Things pitcher John Havird was charged with the loss after throwing five innings of three-hit ball and striking out three.

In the first game of the night, the Baseball Brilliance Sox registered 19 hits and beat the Road Warrior Black Sox, 12-2.

Games will continue Friday night with the Road Warriors and the Slammin’ Sammies facing off at 3 p.m. while the Wild Things play the Baseball Brilliance Sox at 7 p.m.