Barnstormers Dust Skeeters, 4-0
April 24, 2014 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release
It was an opening act that is going to be tough to follow.
The Lancaster Barnstormers were all but flawless in a 4-0 season-opening win over the Sugar Land Skeeters in front of 7,301 Thursday evening at Constellation Field.
Chris Schwinden and a quintet of relievers combined on a four-hit, walkless shutout where the Skeeters sent only two batters over the minimum to the plate. The six pitchers were backed up by superb defense that included a sprawling grab by Austin Gallagher that prevented a potential Chase Lambin triple in the seventh and running catches by Blake Gailen and Fred Lewis. Shortstop Lance Zawadski and third baseman Casey Frawley also made tremendous stops in the game that could not be converted into outs.
The closest that Sugar Land came to scoring was in the third. Travis Scott, a left-handed batter, snuck a grounder down the third base line for a leadoff double. With two outs, he took third on a Schwinden balk before Gailen raced in to snag Rusty Ryal's fly ball to end the threat.
Dustin Martin started the fourth with a single up the middle and took second on Lambin's bunt. Schwinden failed on one pickoff attempt but nabbed Martin with his second.
Barnstormers pitchers retired 12 straight batters before Steve Moss beat out a grounder to the hole at short in the eighth. Koby Clemens led off the ninth with a single down the third base line, but he was quickly erased as Pete Andrelczyk coaxed a tidy 6-4-3 double play out of Ryal.
Lancaster reached the board against former Barnstormers' right-hander Matt Wright in the fifth. Frawley led off with a walk and was stationed at second with two outs when Greg Golson ripped a line drive that just cleared the left field wall for a 2-0 lead.
Two more runs scored in the eighth. Golson was hit by a pitch from Clay Hensley and stole second. The third hit of the night by Jim Negrych advanced Golson to third, and Gailen brought him home with a sharp single into right. The final run crossed on a double play.
Sugar Land hosts the Barnstormers again on Friday night with Chad Beck starting for Lancaster against fellow right-hander Michael Nix. Fans may tune into 1390-AM, WLAN; 1600-AM, WPDC; 1390wlan.com or the I-Heart Radio cellphone app beginning at 7:45 EDT.
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Atlantic League Stories from April 24, 2014
- Barnstormers Dust Skeeters, 4-0 - Lancaster Stormers
- Skeeters Fall to Barnstormers, 4-0, in Season Opener - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Revs Rip Riversharks For Opening Night Win - York Revolution
- Blue Crabs Stymie Bluefish Bats for Opening Night Victory - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
- ESPN, Sugar Land Skeeters Announce Exclusive Agreement - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Blue Crabs Release Opening Day Roster - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
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