The Pelicans blanked the Cats 7-0 to claim game one of the best-of-five South Division Championship Series. Pensacola was supported by another strong Aaron Jackson outing, earning the win after seven scoreless innings of work. Tyler Wilson and Bubba Nelson paired up to retire the final six Cats in order, and three Pelicans hit home runs in the Pensacola victory.

Pensacola took an early 1-0 lead by scoring Francisco Leandro in the top of the first. The Pelicans’ leadoff hitter knocked a groundball that hit third base to give Leandro an infield single. Kevin Reynolds dropped down a beautiful bunt that Reynolds beat out to give the Pelicans runners at first and second and nobody out. Antoin Gray recorded RBI number 85 by hitting a single, and the Pelicans were up early.

The Pelicans added another run in the top of the second, when Dallas Christison led off with a solo shot over the left field fence. The blast was Christison’s second of the year, and the Pelicans’ second run of the night.

Kevin Reynolds started the third inning with a single, and moved to third when Gray hit his second base knock of the night. Marshall McDougall skied a ball to the centerfielder, and the sacrifice fly plated Reynolds to give the Pelicans a 3-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth inning, Marcos Rodriguez connected for a single, and Dallas Christison had a bunt single as well. Lou Palmisano placed a sacrifice bunt down the third base line, and both runners moved up a bag. With two outs, Leandro walked to load the bases, and Kevin Reynolds made his third hit of the night a big one: a ground-rule double that bounced over the right field fence and forced home Rodriguez and Christison, the Pelicans fourth and fifth runs of the night.

Marshall McDougall started the fifth inning by crushing his first homer in a Pelicans uniform, and Antoin Gray added a little extra in the top of the ninth with a leadoff homer of his own, Gray’s fifteenth long-ball of the year.

The Pelicans’ 7-0 lead would hold up under seven solid innings by Aaron Jackson in which he scattered five hits, did not allow a walk, and struck out two. Tyler Wilson pitched a 1-2-3 eighth, striking out one, and Bubba Nelson retired the Cats in order in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the Pelicans’ shutout. The ninth Pelicans’ shutout was also their second against Fort Worth.

At the plate, Kevin Reynolds led all Pelicans going 3-4, with the two-RBI ground-rule double. Antoin Gray went 3-5 with a solo homer and two RBI. Francisco Leandro and Marcos Rodriguez went 2-4, and Dallas Christison went 2-5 with a homer and two runs batted in. Marshall McDougall hit his first round-tripper as a Pelican to drive in one of his two RBI.

Pensacola and Fort Worth will play game two of the South Division Championship Series on Wednesday in Texas, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The battle of southpaws will feature Pensacola’s Randy Beam, against Fort Worth’s Joel Kirsten. Fans can hear all the action on NewsRadio 1620, and online via SportsJuice.com.