The Fredericksburg Nationals clinched the Carolina League North first-half crown after Sunday’s 8-6 win over the Hill City Howlers.
The FredNats (41-16) automatically qualify for the playoffs and will compete in a best-of-three division series in September against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.
The offense got going early once again for the FredNats. After Eli Willits was walked to start the bottom of the first, he stole second and was brought in on a Luke Dickerson RBI double. Willits scored a first-inning run in three of the six games this series.
The first-inning fun continued, as Coy James singled to bring Dickerson across. He was then brought home by a Jacob Walsh RBI to put the FredNats up 3-0.
The FredNats added on another in the third, as another walk, double combination brought home across, with James plating Dickerson for his 40th RBI of the year. The offense continued into the 4th, as Gavin Fien continued his hot streak at the plate, crushing a double into left-center field to bring home two runs and make it 6-1. Fien now has more RBIs than games played this year.
On the mound, Carson Fischer continued his strong form at the start, facing just one above the minimum through three innings, but he started to falter in the 4th. After giving up just one run, he went back out for the 5th and allowed three to cross, two on a Cannon Peebles RBI double. Fischer had allowed just seven earned runs all year entering this outing, but he exited with his team up by just two.
The bats picked Fischer up right away, though, adding on another run in the 6th. Gavin Fien brought home yet another run, plating Nick Peoples on an RBI single that never left the infield. That made it 8-6, FredNats.
The first half still has nine games left, and the FredNats still have more history to chase. The Alexandria Dukes hold the first-half franchise record for wins with 45.
The team hits the road next week. The FredNats take on the Kannapolis Cannonballers in a series starting on Tuesday. First pitch is at 7 p.m. at Atrium Health Park.
