Larson Backs Titans to Split in Doubleheader, Season-Series Win

G1 - OFFICIAL FRONTIER LEAGUE BOX SCORE

G2 - OFFICIAL FRONTIER LEAGUE BOX SCORE

Ottawa, ON - For the second time in as many days, the Ottawa Titans (41-36) split a doubleheader with the New York Boulders (42-32), falling 12-10 in game one, and shutting out game two by a 1-0 final on Sunday afternoon.

Game One - New York 12, Ottawa 10

Both sides exchanged runs in the opening frame, as Andrew Roach (ND, 0-1) and Alex Mack (ND, 0-0) each surrendered one run on one hit.

With the score knotted up, the Titans poured it on with four runs on three hits in the second, knocking Mack out of the game. AJ Wright and Taylor Wright connected with two-run singles to put the Titans up 5-1.

The Boulders chipped their way back and made it a one-run game, scoring three times against newcomer Thomas Bruss in the third.

With runners on the corners against Aaron Dona in the fourth, Joey Terdoslavich put the Titans up 6-4 with an RBI single through the right side. Terdoslavich snapped an 0-11 with the knock.

Nick MacDonald (loss, 4-3) worked in bulk for the Titans out of the pen in the opener of the twin bill. Following a scoreless fourth inning, the Boulders used the long ball against the right-hander to pull in front. Gabriel Garcia launched two homers, one in the fifth, and another in the sixth, sandwiched by a Thomas Walraven grand slam in the sixth inning, seeing the Boulders go in front 11-6.

In the bottom of the sixth, Ryder Yakel inherited two on and one out for Weston Lombard (win, 2-0), when the righty walked the bases loaded. Jake Sanford blasted a bases-clearing double to put the Titans within two. Making yet another pitching change, Dylan Smith (save, 13) allowed a pinch-hit RBI single off the bat of Evan Berkey, as the Titans pulled within a run.

The Boulders manufactured a run against Conner Kelly in the seventh, pulling ahead for good at 12-10.

Down by a pair, the Titans went down in order in the last of the seventh to drop the first of the twin bill.

Game Two - Ottawa 1, New York 0

Grant Larson's (win, 7-7) complete game led the Titans to the split of the four-game series and of Sunday's doubleheader. The lefty needed only 66 pitches, allowing only four hits to win his seventh decision of the year.

All the Titans needed was a third-inning solo homer from Evan Berkey off Dawson Lane (loss, 6-4) to ride out the victory. Berkey is hitting a team-best .423 (11-for-26) with two homers and 10 RBI since August 4.

With the win in game two, Grant Larson tosses the first complete-game shutout in regular season franchise history and helps the Titans to their first shutout victory of 2023.

Also, the Titans clinch the season series over the Boulders by taking five of the nine contests after splitting it six games apiece a season ago.

After the off day on Monday, the Ottawa Titans open a six-game road trip with the first of three against the New Jersey Jackals on Tuesday night at 6:35 p.m. at Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, New Jersey. Following three in New Jersey, the Titans will play their final 15 games of the regular season north of the border as they start a weekend series in Trois-Rivières. All the action can be heard on CKDJ 107.9 and 94,5 UNIK FM and live-streamed on Flo Baseball. For information on 2023 single-game tickets, group outings, and nine-game mini packs, visit the Titans’ official website at www.ottawatitans.com.