[tenthreeleader]

Series 1 – Birmingham Barons at Chattanooga Lookouts (5 games)
Game 1 – April 5
This was the way every team should start the season. The Lookouts were all over the Barons on opening night, behind the six-hit pitching of Romero. The righthander fanned eight and walked only one while watching his teammates score in six of their eight at-bats. Sawyer was the star of the day, homering, singling, walking twice, scoring three times and driving in three to support Romero. Cave and thirdbaseman Chris Paul also did yard work, as the Lookouts knocked Barons ace Michael Kopech out of the game in the fifth inning. Paul had three hits in three trips, three RBI, a walk and a run scored and didn’t even earn player of the game honors.
Lookouts 10, Barons 0

Opening Day lineup – Chattanooga Lookouts
Nick Gordon, SS
Edgar Corcino, RF
LaMonte Wade, CF
Jake Cave, LF
Brent Rooker, 1B
Wynston Sawyer, C
Zander Wiel, DH
Ryan Walker, 2B
Chris Paul, 3B
Fernando Romero, SP

Game 2 – April 6 – Barons (0-1) at Lookouts (1-0)
This wasn’t nearly as much fun. Starting pitcher Lewis Thorpe went out of the game in the second inning with a foot injury that forced Rob into Whole Staff mode much earlier than he would have liked. Miles Jaye pitched his tail off in emergency relief, holding the Barons to one single in four innings, and Paco Rodriguez and Gabriel Moya got the game to Melotakis in the ninth – who allowed an RBI single to Bryant Flete to make it 2-0. In the bottom of the ninth, rightfielder Edgar Corcino walked, took third on Cave’s single and scored on Rooker’s base hit to right. But Sawyer couldn’t come through with the tying run at third and the game died there.
Barons 2, Lookouts 1

Game 3 – April 7 – Barons (1-1) at Lookouts (1-1)
We take it back. This wasn’t nearly as much fun. Starter Zach Littell threw three scoreless innings to start the game but left in two out in the fourth with an ankle injury after allowing four runs. Francis Chavez was the choice for long relief this time but he was even worse, equaling Littell’s feat of four earned runs allowed in only three innings. As such, the Lookouts had lost starting pitchers to injury on consecutive days, placing huge pressure on an already overworked Lookouts bullpen. Meanwhile, Barons starter Spencer Allen zipped the Lookouts on six hits, part of a forgettable day at the ballpark.
Barons 8, Lookouts 0

Game 4 – April 8 – Barons (2-1) at Lookouts (1-2)
The Lookouts desperately needed a solid start after two days of mayhem in the bullpen. It looked like Thorpe was going to miss at least one start, and Littell the same, but Cody Stashak responded with seven strong to help the Lookouts where they needed it the most. Tanner English drove in Gordon with his first home run of the season in the first inning and Stashak made it stick, allowing only a single run in the fifth and striking out nine while allowing six hits. Sawyer drove in Jake Cave in the last of the seventh with an insurance run and closer Tyler Jay nailed down a win that squared the series.
Lookouts 3, Barons 1

Game 5 – April 9 – Barons (2-2) at Lookouts (2-2)
The rubber game of the series saw Rob give the ball to righthander Ryan Eades, who was even better than Stashak had been the previous day. Eades outdueled Birmingham starter Tyler Britton for seven innings, before the Barons starter left behind 2-0, including a long solo homer by Rooker in the second and an RBI single by Wiel in the seventh. Eades left with one out in the ninth and runners at second and third when Jay entered and immediately gave up a double to Danny Mendick, tying the game at 2-2 before Jay could get out of the inning. Jay worked a scoreless tenth before giving way to Melotakis, who worked two more scoreless innings before Cave walked everyone off with his second homer of the series to lead off the home twefth.
Lookouts 3, Barons 2 (12 innings)

It was quite a way to start the season – with the Southern League championship series that never was looming large on the horizon.

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