KOKOMO, Ind. – After a 30-minute weather delay, the Kenosha Kingfish (1-2) won their first game of 2019 on the road against the Kokomo Jackrabbits (0-3) on Thursday night.
The Jackrabbits made their Northwoods League debut earlier in the week with two losses to the Madison Mallards.
Kokomo opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first inning on a two RBI single by LF Ethan Gallagher.
The Kingfish battled back in the top of the second inning with six runs off two Kokomo errors. However, the Jackrabbits chipped away at the lead and tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning after back-to-back-to-back doubles.
In the second inning C Ryan Knernschield scored on a double steal and R.J. Pearson, in his first at-bat, scorched a ball into the left field corner for a double that scored CF Joey Scaffidi.
Pearson, a newcomer with the Kingfish, signed his contract this morning on the team bus. He finished the night 2-4 in his Northwoods League debut.
RHP Sam Marhehke, a rising sophomore from Loras College, started the game for the Kingfish. Marhefke did not pitch long enough to become the pitcher of record. He went four innings with two strikeouts, six walks and five runs.
RHP Tanner Fallon came in relief in the fifth inning and allowed two runs to score. Fallon was off to a rocky start in the fifth, but eventually settled down and allowed no hits from the sixth inning on. Fallon ended up with the win for the Kingfish after four innings of relief work on a strikeout and two runs allowed.
Prior to the sixth inning the Jackrabbits scored runs in every inning.
Fallon and Marhefke got help from the Kingfish defense with two double plays. The first double play came in the first from 2B Ethan Owens to SS Mitchell Buban to Pearson. The second double play came in the fifth inning when Scaffidi threw out a Jackrabbit tagging from third after a fly ball to centerfield.
Scaffidi also finished the night 2-4 with a run, a stolen base and an RBI double.
RHP Patrick Tomfohdre came in relief for the Kingfish in the bottom of the ninth and sealed the win after a leadoff walk. Tomfohdre also recorded his first Northwoods League save in his Kingfish debut.
The Kingfish and Jackrabbits will complete their two-game series in Kokomo tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. EST.
