Eastfield gets revenge in World Series opener
May 27, 2023
GREENVILLE, Tenn. — The Eastfield Harvester Bees beat the Herkimer Generals 10-6 in their first game of the NJCAA DII World Series today at Pioneer Park. Their win comes after Herkimer beat them twice in the previous World Series.
Eastfield coach Michael Martin said he is happy to get the win, but there are some improvements that his team could make.
“We didn’t play well defensively,” he said. “I didn’t think we communicated really well. We’re always looking at these little areas within the game to kind of improve on.”
Martin did, however, say his players’ support for each other is one of their biggest strengths.
The game was close through six innings, with Eastfield holding a 5-4 lead. But the Harvester Bees scored four runs in the seventh inning, highlighted by a two-run single from Kyson Snelson.
Second baseman Gus Witt led the Eastfield offense, going 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI and three runs scored. First baseman Angel Rodriguez was 3-for-4 with a home run, and center fielder Kyson Snelson was 2-for-4 with two RBI
“At the plate, I had a good approach, he said. “I definitely could have been better in the fiel. I got a little lazy at the end, but the sticks were rolling, so that’s all good.”
Witt, who played in the World Series last year, felt some redemption after the win.
“We were coming in, wanting to throw 10 on them,” Witt said. “We put some runs on and that was good, but it felt really good to beat them for sure.”
Ryan Dickey (9-2) was the winning pitcher with nine strikeouts, two walks and one run allowed in five innings.
“I think today I did as much as I could do,” he said. “I did my job: Go in there and not let them score. And it worked.”
Dickey also believes the team made a statement today.
“There were other teams watching us,” Dickey said. “We made it look like they weren’t supposed to be there, and I think that’s a really good thing because they beat us last year and they’re ranked No. 7 in the nation.”
The Harvester Bees will play Niagara in their second game in the World Series at 3 p.m. Sunday.
