Porcupines Fall to Flying Pigs in Back-and-Forth Thriller

After defeating Lexington in their season opener (15-5), the Pineville Porcupines hosted the Flying Pigs Friday night with an opportunity to jump out to a 2-0 lead in the season series. Despite hosting the contest at Jack D. Hughes Memorial Park, the Porcupines were slight underdogs, trailing the Flying Pigs by three games in the Old North State League Mountain Division.

Hueston Gorham (32) 

Despite an impressive performance on the mound from Pineville’s Hueston Gorham, the Flying Pigs plated runs in both the third and fourth innings, taking an early 2-0 lead to the bottom of the fourth. After a single by center fielder Riley Stiles and a walk by shortstop Braden Mauro, first baseman Corbin Wright took Lexington’s Cole Smith deep to left field, giving Pineville a 3-2 lead.

Corbin Wright (17), Braden Mauro (31) and Riley Stiles (10) 

Unfortunately, the lead wasn’t sustainable for the home team, as Lexington’s Blake Bloxsom came through with a two-RBI single to give the Flying Pigs a 4-3 lead. Before the seventh inning was over, the Pigs added one more insurance run and would ultimately preserve a 5-3 lead to even the season series on the road. 

On the night, Pineville starter Hueston Gorham turned in one of his strongest outings of the year, going 5 ⅔ innings, surrendering one earned run on three hits and striking out three. As previously mentioned, Corbin Wright was Pineville’s spark offensively, as his three-run home run was the first hit by a Porcupine at home this season. Lastly, Scout Gilfillan was once again rock solid out of the Porcupines' bullpen, pitching 2 ⅓ perfect innings and tallying an impressive five strikeouts. 

Now 4-7 on the year, the Porcupines will be tested with a tough eight-game road trip beginning Saturday, June 13, before returning home for a Mountain Division matchup Tuesday, June 23 against the Waynesville Hollers.