Snapping Turtles Edge Tropics in High Scoring Opening Day Affair

WESTFIELD, Ind. – The Lids Snapping Turtles opened the 2022 College Summer League slate with a 12-10 victory over the Trifectom Tropics Monday evening.  The two teams combined for 22 runs and 17 hits on the night, but the Tropics three errors compared to the Snapping Turtles one may have made the difference. 

The Tropics struck first with a six-run bottom of the first inning behind RBI double’s from Dalton and Peyton Back . The first four batters of the game reached base for the Tropics who took a commanding 6-0 lead into the second inning. The Snapping Turtles immediately responded however, scoring five runs in the top of the second with run scoring knocks from Garrett DeHart and Garret Gray.

Snapping Turtle starter Landon Lee bounced back from a rough first inning with a five pitch bottom of the second to keep the momentum in the Turtle dugout. The Snapping Turtles picked up where they left off in the second, scoring another five runs in the top of the third, with the biggest hit being a Gabe Wright 3-RBI double to clear the bases. 

The only thing able to curb the Turtles momentum was the rain, as thunderstorms forced a lengthy delay. Out of the delay, the Tropics were able to scratch a run across in the bottom of the third to cut the Turtle lead to 10-7. Both teams were able to push a run across in the fifth and the Turtles maintained a three-run lead, 11-8. 

OG Snapping Turtle Tarron Lawson lead off the seventh inning with a big-fly that he got absolutely all of for an insurance run! The longest tenured Turtle set the tone going 4-4 with three singles and a bomb in the season opener. 

The Tropics were able to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh but they only pushed one run across before Spencer Lanman was able to induce a pop-up for the final out of the game.

Max Clark, Dalton Back, and Peyton Back led the Tropics with two hits apiece. Lawson had four hits while Gray had two hits and two RBI to lead the Snapping Turtles. Gabe Wright drove in four for the Turtles. 

Landon Lee took the win on the bump for the Turtles, while Cody Jones was the losing pitcher.

Up Next: The Snapping Turtles return to action tonight at 7:00 PM on GP-D5 against the Practical Property Group Park Rangers. The Tropics will also play tonight at 7:00 PM as they take on the Edge Rock Local Legends at 7:00 PM on GP-D2.