Peña Dominates Opener, Titans Split Twin Bill

OFFICIAL FRONTIER LEAGUE BOX SCORE - GAME 1

OFFICIAL FRONTIER LEAGUE BOX SCORE - GAME 2

Ottawa, ON - In yet another rain-impacted contest, the Ottawa Titans (42-34) split a doubleheader with the Sussex County Miners (27-48), taking Game One 7-0 and falling 6-5 in Game Two on Saturday.

Game One - Ottawa 7, Sussex County 0

Backed by the first complete game shutout in the career of left-hander Bryan Peña (win, 5-5), the Titans used a seven-run bottom of the first to take the opener.

Snapping their two-game skid - Jackie Urbaez started the scoring spree with a no-doubt two-run blast to left off Mike Reagan (loss, 2-7) - as the Titans sent 11 to the plate in the first.

Lamar Briggs and Michael Fuhrman each posted two-run singles later in the inning - before Christian Ibarra's RBI groundout had the Titans up by a touchdown after one.

The run support was plenty for the Titans' southpaw, who fanned a career-high ten in the shutout. 

Retiring the last ten he faced and 20 of the final 23 - Peña hurled the third complete-game shutout for the Titans of the season.

Game Two - Sussex County 6, Ottawa 5

Impacted by a nearly two-hour rain delay, the Titans' late comeback went for not - in which the offence left the potential tying and winning runs in scoring position to end the contest.

All started well against Kellen Brothers (ND, 3-7), as the bats pushed across a run on two hits in the first, as Jake Hjelle punched an opposite-field hit to right.

In the second, an E3 on a sac bunt helped score a run to double the lead - before Christian Ibarra dropped in a single to centre, scoring Lamar Briggs to make it 3-0.

Making his pro debut, Jake Dixon (loss, 0-1) saw the Miners send nine to the dish in the third - as the visitors tacked on four of their six unanswered runs to jump out in front.

After the rain delay, which began after the conclusion of the third, left-hander Kyle White allowed two runs over his two innings of work - as the Titans went behind 6-3.

Down by a trio - the Titans' offence was silenced by Eston Stull (win, 3-0), who punched out five of the six he faced to keep the Miners in front.

Facing Tyler Luneke, the Titans used a pair of long balls from Jake Hjelle and Taylor Wright to pull within one.

With a hit batter and a walk in scoring position after a balk by closer Robbie Hitt (save, 10) - the Titans were one swing from tying or winning the game - but Jamey Smart flew out to centre to end the night.

In the loss, the Titans did not record a hit from the second through the sixth - as Jake Hjelle went 2-for-3 with a homer and two driven in.

The Ottawa Titans end their six-game homestand with the rubber game of a three-game set against the Sussex County Miners on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. All the action can be heard on CKDJ 107.9 and 94,5 Unique FM and live-streamed on Flo Baseball.

For information on tickets, group outings, and nine-game mini packs, visit the Titans’ official website at www.ottawatitans.com.