The Asheville Tourists lost 2-0 in the first game and won the second 6-5 in a doubleheader against the Greensboro Grasshoppers on April 15 at McCormick Field.

The twin bill was scheduled to make up for the postponement of the series opener on April 13  because of inclement weather. The April 15 results left the Tourists with a 2-5 record.

The first half of the doubleheader was a pitcher’s battle, while the nightcap provided more offensive firepower.
Asheville starter Ethan Hollingsworth worked five strong innings in game one, allowing just two runs on five hits while striking out one Grasshopper. The Tourists started slow in game one, but Asheville’s bats woke up in game two, in exciting fashion.

The hurlers dueled for the first five innings of the first game, with Asheville’s Hollingsworth allowing just two hits to that point. Johnny Dorn was equally dominant for Greensboro, allowing just four hits to the Tourists through six innings of work.

The deadlock was broken in the top of the sixth inning. The Grasshoppers picked up back-to-back hits to start the inning — a single by Paul Gran and a double by Jeremy Synan.

With runners on second and third and nobody out, Asheville turned to Aaron Weatherford out of the bullpen. Ben Lasater greeted the Tourists’ reliever with a two-run double down the left field line to give the Grasshoppers the lead for good.

Weatherford retired the rest of the side in order, and struck out the side in the top of the seventh inning, but the Tourists could not mount a comeback, dropping game one by a score of 2-0.

The Tourists were finally able to jump out to an early lead in game two. The Grasshoppers scraped out a run in the top of the first, but Asheville answered right back with five of their own. With one out, Patrick Rose stroked a single up the middle and Jimmy Cesario followed with a double down the left field line. With runners on second and third, Jordan Pacheco stroked a base hit into center field to bring Rose and Cesario home and give Asheville the 2-1 lead.

With Pacheco on first base, Tyler Massey stepped in and hit a slow dribbler down the first base line. Greensboro catcher Kyle Skipworth followed the ball, waiting to see if it would roll foul. By the time he decided the ball was staying fair, Pacheco had rounded second base and was coming into third. Skipworth picked up the ball about two-thirds of the way up the first base line, and with nobody covering the plate, Pacheco came all the way around to score.

Thomas Field and James Sims would contribute RBI singles before the first inning came to an end with the Tourists ahead, 5-1.

The Grasshoppers charged back with three runs in the top of the fourth inning. Ben Lasater and Kyle Skipworth hit back-to-back one-out doubles to bring one run in. Justin Jacobs added a run-scoring single, and Isaac Galloway laced an RBI base hit of his own, cutting the Asheville lead to 5-4.

Tyler Trice came on to work two scoreless innings for the Tourists, who took their one-run lead into the top of the seventh. Asheville closer Kurt Yacko came on to get the save, but Justin Jacobs drew a leadoff walk, stole second base, and came in to score and tie the game on a double by Galloway.

With the game tied, the Tourists opened the bottom of the seventh with a leadoff walk by Cesario. Jordan Pacheco laid down a textbook sacrifice bunt to advance Cesario to second base. After Tyler Massey struck out, Carlos Martinez roped a line drive down the left field line and past the diving Paul Gran for a walk-off single.