Biscuits enjoy win in home opener over Clingstones

Will Simpson homered and drove in the winning run in the Biscuits win over Columbus on Tuesday in the home season opener at DABOS Park. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

Will Simpson smacked a line drive to center field in the bottom of the ninth to score Xavier Isaac with the game-winning run as the Montgomery Biscuits won their fourth consecutive home opener in walk-off fashion with a 5-4 victory over the Columbus Clingstones in front of 3,517 fans at DABOS Park on Tuesday.

The first-place Biscuits (3-0) and the last-place Clingstones (0-4) resume the series on Wednesday at 11 a.m. at DABOS Park.

The Biscuits battled from behind most of the evening, trailing 2-0 in the fourth, 2-1 in the sixth and 4-3 in the ninth before rallying.

David McCabe’s two-run home run to right center field in the fourth off of Montgomery starter Jackson Baumeister broke a scoreless tie. After Will Simpson’s solo shot to left field in the bottom of the sixth cut the deficit in half, the Clingstones regained the two-run margin in the top of the eighth on a wild pitch.

Montgomery, which picked up eight of its 10 hits in the final four innings, tied the game in the bottom half of the inning on a two-run homer to left field by Kenny Piper that drove in Gregory Barrios.

Columbus regained the lead in the ninth after Jordan Groshans reached base on a strikeout after a wild pitch got away from Piper and rolled to the backstop.

Groshans was forced out at second on a grounder by Drew Compton and Compton was replaced by pinch runner Ambioris Tavarez, who advanced on a single by Adam Zebrowski and scored on a wild pitch for a 4-3 lead.

In the bottom of the ninth, Austin Overn sent the first pitch from Blayne Enlow over the left field wall to tie the game. Isaac then drew a walk, stole second and scored on Simpson’s second hit of the game.

Kyle Whitten, the fourth Biscuit pitcher of the night, picked up the win, while Enlow took the loss.

The win was the first at home for new owner Mike Carney and On-Deck Partners.

The Biscuits snapped a three-game losing streak in home openers in 2023 with a 5-1 win over Tennessee. Montgomery defeated Pensacola 9-0 in the 2024 home opener and Columbus 5-3 in the Clingstones’ first-ever game last year.