A steady Moo offense attacked early and often in defeating Sioux Falls, 8-4, Tuesday night in the home opener at historic Moller Field in Fremont. Eight of the nine Moo hitters either collected a hit or drove in a run.
Brock Reller set the tone in his first at-bat for the Moo this season. After Tyler Push drew a leadoff walk, Reller clocked a two-run home run to the right of straight-away center to put the Moo on top. After the Sunfish scored in the third, Trey Nichols hammered a two-run home run to right to build the lead to 4-1. Sioux Falls scored single runs in the sixth and seventh to cut the Moo lead to 4-3 going to the bottom of the seventh.
Nichols sparked a seventh-inning rally by Fremont (2-1) with a leadoff double. Two batters later, Tyler Mata-Lloyd singled through the left side, putting runners at first and third with one out. Chase Reynolds grounded out to shortstop to score Nichols and move Mata-Lloyd to second. The next batter, Push, singled through the right side to score Mata-Lloyd and give the Moo a 6-3 lead. With Darien Morphew at the plate, Push stole second and third for the second time tonight—he also did it in the first ahead of Reller’s homer. Morphew singled to right to drive in Push and make it 7-3. In the eighth, Fremont added a run off a Sioux Falls error.
Preston Menicucci (1-0) won in his Moo debut, scattering five walks and four hits while allowing two earned runs in five innings pitched. Brendon Jones, Steven Boyd and Jackson Krause combined on four innings of solid relief, allowing just two earned runs.
Nichols paced the Fremont offense, hitting 2-for-5 with a homer and a double. Reller was also 2-for-5 with a home run, while Push was 1-for-4 with four stolen bases on the game.
The Moo continue their five-game homestand Wednesday at 7:05 against the Sunfish (0-1) at historic Moller Field. The game can be heard on Big Dog 98.9 FM and 1340 AM and Fremont Moo.com.
