Everything went right for the Hounds in a 17-1 trouncing of the Marlins Saturday at Southwest Park, the Hounds humbling the 2021 league runner-up.Colin French was the Hounds game one starter, and he looked damn-near untouchable over 62 pitches of work. The southpaw allowed only three hits and one run, one of each on a gimme home run just over the short porch in center.

The Hounds wasted no time, with Greg Sells (SS) doubling on a liner to center and Tim Riggenbach (LF) striking a single to right. The Hounds capitalized on sloppy play by the Marlins, and batted balls in-play provided 3 runs. In the second inning, a Tony Correa (C) single was converted to a run by another double by Sells to put the score at 4. In the fourth, the Hounds loaded the bases, and Greg sells drew an RBI walk. Japheth Bandi (DH) took even further advantage of loaded bases and crushed a not-a-gimme grand slam to right field to blow the game wide open 9-0. The Marlins notched a run on the aforementioned pop-fly which was reciprocated by a homer by Alberto Martinez (1B). The game became a blur after that, the Marlins pitchers struggling to find the strike zone. The Hounds scored 8 in the fourth, enough to trigger the slaughter rule, and exited the game early.

The Hounds will face the Marlins again Sunday morning, this time at Winnemac Park, where they advance with a win.