Boonville, N.Y. – The Boonville Lumberjacks won 9-1 over the Watertown Rapids in an all-around effort on the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League’s Opening Day.

 

Robert Sports Smith Sports Complex was lively Thursday night. The people of Boonville flocked to the field for the Lumberjacks’ season opener.

 

They were met with a dominant pitching performance from right-handed pitcher Jacob Phillips. Phillips pitched eight innings and only allowed two hits. He also struck out eight batters, six of which were swinging strikeouts.

 

Phillips struggled in the first inning despite the dominant performance. He allowed two walks over the first three batters.

 

Phillips collected himself after the hiccup in the first. He threw three straight one-two-three innings fifth, sixth and seventh.

 

“It felt great. It felt like it was going really smooth,” said Phillips. “Nothing really went wrong through those innings.”

 

Phillips ran into trouble in his last inning of work. In the eighth inning he allowed the first two runners on through a single and a walk. Another runner reached base on an error.

 

The righty got three straight outs to end his outing in eight innings.

 

Phillips pitching overshadowed a great team hitting performance. Outfielder Darnell Guerrero led the way with a pinch-hit two-run homerun in the bottom of the eighth inning.

 

Guerrero’s hot bat from the college season transitioned into the first game in Boonville. He hit for an average of .265 in 136 at bats at Alliance University in his freshman year.

 

Designated hitter Dylan Mercedes tallied two extra-base hits with a triple in the second inning and an RBI double in the fourth.

 

Alex Angulo, Samuel Fleming, Dom Jackson and Marcus Smith all added an RBI to the Lumberjack’s score as well.

 

Watertown was unable to find the strike zone which allowed Boonville to have many run-scoring opportunities. The Rapids’ pitchers walked seven batters and hit two as well.

 

Aidan Maxwell was the most successful of the three Watertown pitchers. He was able to pitch three innings in relief while only giving up one earned run.

 

The Rapids’ one run came off a ground out with the bases loaded by third baseman Brett Myers.

 

The Lumberjacks will head to Oneonta on Friday to play the Outlaws. The Outlaws will be playing their first game of the season. Boonville looks to start 2-0 on Friday at Damaschke Field.

 

Jayson O’Connell is the director of communications for the Boonville Lumberjacks. He can be reached at jbo5216@psu.edu or at 609-218-4381.