Friday, April 8, 2005 

W 5 - 0

Zebulon , NC --- The Beatles may have written five hits in 24 hours. 

The Carolina Mudcats have the Huntsville Stars swinging off-key, blanking the Stars for the season's first 14 innings after a rain-shortened 5-0 victory on Friday night at Five County Stadium.

Florida 's # 2 prospect Scott Olsen fanned eight over five innings, and was buoyed by a four-run first inning. 

Huntsville 's Dennis Sarfate (L, 0-1), who led the S.L. in losses last season with 12, stumbled in the first inning.  Sarfate hit leadoff hitter Eric Reed, followed by a push bunt single by Robert Andino.  On a 1-0 pitch to top Marlins prospect Jeremy Hermida, Sarfate surrendered a three-run homer to right.  Two outs later, Chris Ashby laced a double, then scored on a two-strike single by Chris Bass.  Sarfate settled over his next 3 1/3 innings, permitting just an unearned run in the fourth.

Olsen, making his first Double-A start, retired the first 10 batters of the game, including whiffing five straight before Callix Crabbe reached on a finesse infield single in the fourth inning.

A light mist turned into a steady rain in the bottom of the fourth inning, then picked up as Olsen finished the top of the 5th.  After Hermida grounded out to start the Carolina fifth, the players were called off the field, and 30 minutes later, the game was called.

In the first two games of the season, the Stars have not scored in 14 innings, managing just five hits and eight total baserunners.  Just two have reached third base.

The third game of the season-opening series will be played Saturday night at 7:15 PM ET with Manny Parra making the start for Huntsville .   

HUNTSVILLE          0 0 0  0 0   ---   0   2  1  1

CAROLINA              4 0 0  1 0   ---   5   6  0  3

WP - Olsen (1-0)

LP - Sarfate (0-1)

S - None.

HR - Hermida (1)

Time:  1:10

Att:  3,135