Spokane Indians pregame: Starter Karl Kauffman makes pro debut on the hill for Indians

The Spokane Indians (0-4) host the Eugene Emeralds (4-0) in the fifth of a six-game High-A West League series at Avista Stadium on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

Starters

Indians: 

RHP Karl Kauffman (0-0, 0.00 ERA): Kauffman is making his professional debut tonight. The righty last pitched in 2019 for Michigan. He was a starter on the team that finished as the runner-up in the College World Series

Emeralds: 

RHP Conner Nurse (0-0, 0.00 ERA): Nurse was a 34th round selection out of high school by the Giants in the 2017 MLB Draft. In 2019, the Florida-native threw in the AZL and for Salem-Keizer, compiling a 5-4 record with a 3.57 ERA in 15 starts.

Lineup

1) Decolati-CF

2) Schunk-2B

3) MacIver-C

4) Doyle-RF

5) Toglia-1B

6) Datres-3B

7) Harris-LF

8) Lewis-DH

9) Blomgren-SS

Weather

First pitch – Partly sunny, breezy, 61. Final out – partly cloudy, 52.

Player to watch

1B Michael Toglia: Toglia is the High-A West leader in home runs (3), and all three of his hits this season have been via the long ball. The former UCLA Bruin has shown strength but also patience, drawing five walks with an OBP of .471.

Last game

Four Eugene pitchers combined to allow just four hits and the Ems won their fourth in a row, beating the Indians 8-4 at Avista Stadium.

The game-time temperature was 53, but a 15-mph wind made it feel like early March.

Indians starter Ryan Feltner made a strong season debut, going four innings and allowing one run on five hits and three walks with six strikeouts. As has been the case this season, the bullpen struggled again, with four pitchers allowing seven runs on 10 hits and three walks.

Three errors didn’t help, either.

The Indians’ loudest hit came from Michael Toglia in the bottom of the ninth, who crushed his third home run of the season over the scoreboard in right-center.