Barnstormers Cruise To 12-3 Win
September 20, 2014 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release
The Lancaster Barnstormers will get their shot to become second half division champions on Sunday.
Lancaster pounded out 19 hits, including 10 for extra bases on Saturday evening to coast to a 12-3 victory over the Camden Riversharks in the second-to-last game of the 2014 regular season. Concurrently, the Sugar Land Skeeters dropped a 5-1 decision at home to the York Revolution, creating a tie at the top of the division between Lancaster and Sugar Land.
With the Skeeters owning the tiebreaker, the Barnstormers must win on Sunday afternoon and have Sugar Land lose at home in a game that begins two hours later.
On Saturday, Blake Gailen provided two home runs, and Lance Zawadzki one to lead the Barnstormers, who never trailed in the game. Gailen's first homer, lofted to right center in the opening inning off Ryan Kulik (2-8) gave Lancaster the early push. Olmo Rosario doubled home Juan Apodaca in the third for a 2-0 lead.
The Barnstormers scored two runs in each of the next five innings. A double by Gabe Jacobo and a sacrifice fly by Zawadzki added to the lead in the fourth. Gailen's second long ball of the night, a liner inside the right field foul pole, made it 6-2, and Zawadzki yanked a two-run shot onto the picnic tents in the sixth. Zawadzki knocked in his fourth run of the game an inning later with a single through the left side, following an RBI double to right by Greg Golson, his third hit of the night.
Cole Garner drove in a run with a double to right center in the eighth. Lancaster's final marker came home on a throwing error.
Nick McCully (1-0) tossed seven innings for the Barnstormers in his first start since initially being ruled as an illegal signing by the Atlantic League. The right-hander yielded a home run to Jose Julio-Ruiz with two outs in the fourth to lose his shutout. Camden scored again in the fifth on singles by Brian Van Kirk and Amadeo Zazueta along with a double play. The final run was unearned.
McCully allowed six hits while walking three and striking out seven.
Dan Osterbrock (11-4) will start the season finale for Lancaster on Sunday against Cesar Sanchez (0-3). Team posters will be handed out at the gate while they last, and the full team (minus Osterbrock and Chris Schwinden) will be signing autographs from 12-12:30. Fans may tune into 1390-AM, WLAN; 1390wlan.com or the I Heart Radio cell phone app, beginning at 12:45.
NOTES: Gailen reached base for the 35th consecutive game...His second home run was his 50th as a Barnstormer, tying him for fourth on the all-time list...Cole Garner added three total bases and is now a home run away from Josh Pressley's league record...Gailen and Zawadzki both crossed 50 RBI on the season...Olmo Rosario had four hits to boost his average to .383...The seven doubles tied a team record...
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Atlantic League Stories from September 20, 2014
- Revs Swat Skeeters To Snap Skid - York Revolution
- Ducks Waddle off Before Sellout Crowd - Long Island Ducks
- Barnstormers Cruise To 12-3 Win - Lancaster Stormers
- Sugar Land Drops Game 5 to York - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- 'Fish Shut out Somerset for Second Consecutive Game - Bridgeport Bluefish
- Bluefish Shutout Patriots 2-0 - Somerset Patriots
- Blue Crabs Win Despite Elimination - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
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