Rain pushed the Richmond Flying Squirrels' 2023 opening night from Friday (April 7) into a doubleheader the next day, but it didn't stop the team from sweeping the Reading Fightin Phils to kick off their season.
Carson Seymour took the hill for Richmond to start the Flying Squirrels' 2023 campaign while Ryan Murphy took the win, and the home team grabbed the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning on a bases-loaded walk of Ismael Munguia.
The Flying Squirrels won 4-3 on that walk as Munguia reached base three times in his debut at the Double-A level. Luis Matos' two-run homer tied the game in the bottom of the fifth.
Less than an hour after the first game's conclusion, Nick Zwack took the mound for the Flying Squirrels and proceeded to throw four scoreless innings, striking out nine and allowing just one hit. Wil Jensen grabbed the win as Richmond survived a late scare, Reading threatening late but falling just short by a score of 3-2.
Richmond won by a more comfortable margin in the Easter Sunday game, taking a 7-3 victory behind a five-run third inning. Brett Auerbach led the offense with two runs batted in as he and two other players each had two hits apiece. Mason Black threw four innings, while Nick Swiney tallied the win.
The Flying Squirrels head out on the road to play Harrisburg this week from Tuesday-Sunday, and will be back home next week for a series against the Erie SeaWolves.