Cardinals Win Exhibition with Tornado, 10-1

June 21, 2010 (Johnson City) - By John Stevens, Voice of the Tornado

Notwithstanding the 10-1 outcome in favor of the Appalachian League Johnson City Cardinals against the Tennessee Tornado, it was a beautiful night for baseball last night as the exhibition brought out more than 300 fans in support of their home-town teams.

Last season the Tornado were able to stay neck-and-neck with the Cardinals until a walk-off single took the game 2-1, but four college-level pitchers combined for the first seven innings of scoreless baseball against the professional farm club.  More significant, Tornado owner Wiley Roark honored SCBL co-founder Marilyn Jeffers and her late husband, Lynn, in a pregame ceremony.

This season there was no less emotion and intrigue on the field as the two teams took to the field under an absolutely pristine blue sky on a balmy evening.  In the early going, Shane Grimm (Paintsville, Ky.) weathered a storm to toss a perfect second inning, after which Tennessee got on the board and within a run after Jordan Guida (Glendale, Ariz.) singled, stole a base and scored on an RBI groundout by Kyle Kolat (South Bend, Ind.).  But from there the Cardinals built and built their lead, scoring in six of eight innings and converting five lead-off base runners into runs.

Five Tornado pitchers tried their luck against the big red bats, as Grimm finished 3 2-3 innings allowing a total of six runs (five earned) on six hits with a strikeout.  Andy Omilian (Plymouth, Mich.) recorded the final out in the fourth inning but left without recording one in the fifth, allowing two runs (one earned) on a total of three hits.  Riley Bevill (Boise, Idaho) went 1 2-3 innings without an earned run, allowing three hits and recording a strikeout.  Tyler Walker (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) worked a scoreless inning, and Brent Gay (Jackson, Miss.) finished out with a run on three hits in the ninth.

Kolat had the best offensive day for Tennessee, finishing 1-2 with a double and a walk along with his RBI groundout.  He was the only Tornado to reach base twice.  Only Guida and Matt Seese (Belleview, Fla.) also recorded hits.

Greg Garcia led the charge for the Cardinals, finishing 3-4, a home run shy of the cycle, tossing in a sacrifice fly as well.  Roberto Reyes recorded the other three-hit night for Johnson City, scoring two runs.  Cesar Valera drove in three runs in a 2-3 night.

Tennessee returns to SCBL action against the league-leading Lake Norman Copperheads tonight at 7 p.m. at Milligan College's Anglin Field.  With their doubleheader sweep on Saturday, the Tornado drew a half-game closer to the Copperheads, who split a twin bill with the Carolina Chaos this weekend.