Play ball!

The season – at least the exhibition version – has started. The Wild Things played Friday morning against the Slippery Rock Sliders.

My first reaction to the 2007 Wild Things: Who are these guys?

Gone are seven of the nine hitters from last year's starting lineup. And the two who returned, second baseman Kyle Werman and center fielder Chris Sidick, did not play in the morning game. The only familiar names in the lineup were second baseman Justin Gregula, a Washington High School product, and designated hitter Pat O'Brien, who played for the Wild Things in 2005.

The newcomers made a good debut, defeating Slippery Rock 6-2. Three Washington pitchers – Justin Staatz, Michael Hauff and Justin Mattison – combined on a two-hitter.

Staatz had the strangest line of the day. He started and pitched four innings, did not allow a hit and struck out four. He did, however, walk six and give up a run in the fourth on three walks and a sacrirfice fly. Hauff was impressive, allowing two hits, one walk and one run in four innings. He struck out four. Slippery Rock did not have a hit until one out in the seventh inning.

Washington scored a run in each of the first five innings. Gregula went 2-for-4 and scored two runs, shortstop Rene Quintana was 2-for-3 with 3 RBI and center fielder Matt Sutton hit a solo home run.