Clearwater Spoils Dunedin's Home Opener Joel Naughton's 7th Inning Grand Slam Caps Victory 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E Threshers 0 0 0 0 0 4 6 0 0 10 11 1 Bluejays 1 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 2 7 13 2 Catcher Joel Naughton watches his grand slam sail over the right field wall.

The Clearwater Threshers faced the Dunedin Bluejays on Friday night at Dunedin in the Bluejays home opener. The Jays got on the board quickly grabbing a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but the score would remain the same until the sixth inning. At that point the Threshers picked up four runs to take a 4-1 lead.

That comfortable lead proved short lived as the Jays bounced back picking up two in the bottom of the frame to cut their deficit to 4-3, but then the Threshers offense really caught fire.

In the seventh inning the Jays sent a fresh pitcher to the hill to quell the Threshers offense. THe Threshers offense however had something else in mind. With the smell of fresh meat in the water the sharks offense powered into an offensive frenzy demolishing the Jays pitcher for six runs on two walks and four hits, including a grand slam by catcher Joel Naughton, before a single out was tallied in the inning.

With a comfortable 10-3 lead the game seemed secure. The Jays however would not go down quietly. They picked up two runs just after the seventh inning stretch, and then mounted a ninth inning rally for two more runs, but Dan Brauer finally shut things down and the Threshers went home 10-7 winners.

Joel Naughton picks up the SCHMIDT LIST player of the game award for crushing a 7th inning grand slam that ultimately speeled the difference between a win and a loss.