SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Champion City Half Trax (2-3) made their official Springfield debut on Saturday (May 30) with not one but two games at Carleton Davidson Stadium after Wednesday's home opener with the Burlington Bees (2-3) was rained out. 

After a three-game slide to start the season, the Half Trax bounced back with a doubleheader sweep over the Bees. A big start in game one led to a 7-4 win before the Half Trax flirted with a no-hitter in a 7-0 win for the nightcap. 

GAME 1

The game flipped for the Half Trax with three runs scoring in the first inning without a hit. A costly one out error by the third baseman kept the inning alive for the Half Trax. With two outs, Champion City had five straight walks, including three walks with the bases loaded. Elijah Schroeder and Jaxon Brown walked and later scored on RBI free passes issued to Cody Croxford, Simon Slapeta and Derek Occhipinti. 

A four-spot in the second inning blew the game wide open. Landon Turner walked and Dunlevey followed with a walk as well. Jayden Jaramillo singled home Turner for the first run of the inning. Schroeder reached on an infield single, loading the bases. Brown lined a bases-clearing double to left center field as the game was 7-0 in the second inning. 

Burlington scored the final four runs to make the game interesting. In the third inning, a RBI single and a sacrifice fly made it 7-2. A solo home run in the fifth inning got the Bees to 7-3. The Bees made one last push in the seventh inning, getting the tying run to the plate. With two runners on after a walk and hit batter, a RBI double got the first run home. A strikeout and a lineout sealed the first win of the season for the Half Trax 7-4.

The Half Trax managed only five hits with five different players having knocks. The team tied a season-best with eight walks. 

Braden Williams started the home opener and grinded through 3.2 innings. Williams allowed two unearned runs on four hits and two walks while he fanned four. Karson Adkins (W, 1-0) gave up one run in 1.1 innings as Landon Vandegrift finished the game with two innings of one-run ball, striking out three. 

GAME 2

Landon Turner started the second game with a double to right center field and scored on a RBI double by Jayden Jaramillo, giving the home team a 1-0 lead three batters in. 

One inning later, the Half Trax added on with another run. Hunter Richardson walked as the leadoff batter and Derek Occhipinti was hit by a pitch with one out. Turner singled home Richardson, making it 2-0 Champion City.

In the fourth inning, Champion City added on more runs with four hits. Ian Shipley, Turner and Dominic Bouscher loaded the bases with three straight singles. Jaramillo reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Shipley from third base. Jaxon Brown brought Turner home with a sacrifice fly as Burlington went to the bullpen. Facing a new reliever, Asa Dunlevey walked before Richardson singled Jaramillo home. The Half Trax scored three runs for a 5-0 lead after four innings. 

With the game already in hand, the Half Trax created further distance to help out the pitching staff. Bouscher started the frame with his second infield single of the game. Bouscher stole second base and two batters later, Bouscher swiped third base and scored when the catcher's throw went into left field. Dunlevey reached on an error after Bouscher scored and Richardson followed with his second single of the day. After another pitching change, a wild pitch closed the scoring after Dunlevey scored from third. 

With the offense rolling, the pitching staff kept the Bees at bay. Logan Cobb (W, 1-0) started the game for the Half Trax and tossed five no-hit innings, working around four walks and a hit batter while striking out six. Abe Crall tossed a scoreless sixth inning and the Bees notched their first and only hit with one out in the sixth inning. The Bees got an infield single on a floating ball that Shipley couldn't cleanly corral. Crall struck out the side as Zach Cabell got three punchouts in the seventh inning, securing the shutout win. 

Turner had three hits in the leadoff spot as Bouscher and Richardson both added two singles each. 

The Half Trax will head to Danville on Tuesday (June 2) to battle the Dans in a doubleheader.