By Brad Allred, Cleburne Railroaders

SIOUX FALLS – The Cleburne Railroaders lost their opening game of the 2023 season 7-2 against the Sioux Falls Canaries on May 11, 2023.

BOX SCORE

After the ‘Roaders were held scoreless in the top of the first, the Canaries wasted no time getting out in front. Jabari Henry singled home Wyatt Ulrich to give Sioux Falls the 1-0 lead. Mike Hart followed that up with an RBI-single of his own, driving in Welington Dotel to make it 2-0.

Sioux Falls tacked on another run in the bottom of the second when Ulrich singled home Jordan Barth. Trevor Achenbach drove in another Canaries’ run in the bottom of the third to make it 4-0. It was the third consecutive inning that Sioux Falls had scored a run off Railroaders’ starter Riley Smith.

Cleburne scored their first run of the season in the top of the fourth when Ryan Hernandez blasted his first professional home run over the right-field fence. It was 4-1, Canaries.

Sioux Falls proceeded to get that run back and some in the bottom of the fifth. Former Railroader Hunter Clanin singled home Henry to make it 5-1. Marshall Rich then hit a two-RBI single to left, driving in Hart and Clanin.

Another run wasn’t scored until the top of the ninth. Hill Alexander continued his hot day at the plate with a solo home run to cut the Canaries’ lead to 7-2. Unfortunately for Cleburne, that was the end of their brief ninth inning rally, as Canaries’ reliever Christian Johnson shut the door to capture the 7-2 victory.

Akeem Bostick was stellar for the Canaries, going seven innings, allowing just one run on five hits. He struck out five and walked just one. Smith struggled for Cleburne, allowing seven earned runs over 4.2 innings. He allowed 11 hits, striking out two and walking two.

Alexander had a good opening day, picking up three hits, one of them a solo home run. The Railroaders’ bullpen also had a good evening. The trio of Travis Perry, Joe Shaw and Brendan Bell went a combined 3.1 innings, allowing just one hit, striking out six and walking none.

Game two of the Railroaders four-game series against the Canaries will be tomorrow night at 6:35 p.m. from Sioux Falls Stadium. Pregame coverage will begin at 6:15 p.m. on aabaseball.tv and on the Railroader Radio Network.