Aviators Rally Falls Short
June 23, 2019 - Prospect League (Prospect)
Lafayette Aviators News Release
Lafayette, IN - The Lafayette Aviators (13-8) fell to the DuPage Pistol Shrimp (9-10) by a score of 15-13. The Aviators trailed for much of the game but came back late to tie it in the ninth. The Pistol Shrimp were able to snuff out the comeback and hold on to their ninth win of the season. The game time was moved up 30 minutes to 2:35 due to threats of rain, but the inclement weather missed Loeb Stadium, and Lafayette and DuPage had a wonderful Sunday afternoon to play ball.
The Pistol Shrimp wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard at Loeb. With Parker Nolan (Indianapolis) on the mound for Lafayette, DuPage eked out a handful of soft singles to put runners on early in the first inning. Four hits later, the Pistol Shrimp led 4-0.
Lafayette turned things around at the plate in the third inning. Chris Monroe (Illinois Springfield) and Braedon Blackford (Illinois State) both found grass in the outfield with a pair of singles to lead off the inning. After Brent Todys (Ohio State) reached on an error, the bases were loaded for Keolu Ramos (Arizona State). The future Sun Devil delivered and singled through the middle of the infield to bring in the first two runs of the day for Lafayette. Zach Heeke (Central Michigan) grounded a ball to second base to bring in the Aviators third run. With Ramos on third and one out, Lafayette's Matt Mackey (Eastern Illinois) sent a deep sac fly to right field, tying the game at 4-4.
Aviator pitching struggled to find the zone in the fourth inning, and Lafayette walked in two runs. DuPage scratched across five runs in the fourth with only one hit. The Pistol Shrimp drew one hit-by-pitch and four walks in the frame. Entering the bottom of the fourth inning the score stood at 9-4 in favor of the visitors.
Braedon Blackford grabbed an RBI in the bottom of the fourth to get a run back for the Aviators. After Sunday's action, the future Redbird has 18 RBI to his name for the summer.
DuPage added to their lead in the sixth inning with a pair of two-run singles from Jonathon Hodo and Garrett Goetz. Both hits scored two Pistol Shrimp and extended the DuPage lead to 13-5.
The home team got two runs in the bottom of the seventh after the seventh inning stretch at Loeb. Matt Mackey wore a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run, and Kollyn All singled with runners in scoring position to make it 13-7.
Leading by six, DuPage pitching started to falter. Lafayette was able to earn their way on base by taking a couple pitches to the body, as well as drawing several walks throughout the seventh and eighth innings. In the eighth, Keolu Ramos grounded out to shortstop with the bases loaded, scoring a run. With two ducks on the pond, Matt Mackey pounded a ball high to left field. The ball would've landed on Wallace Street behind the left field fence if not for a strong wind gusting in from center. Instead, the DuPage left fielder Gaosh Williams caught the ball on the warning track, and Mackey had to settle for a sac fly. A wild pitch allowed another Aviator run to score, cutting the Pistol Shrimp lead to 13-10.
Trying to rally in the bottom of the ninth, Braedon Blackford lined a ball hard to right field to score Chris Monroe and make it a two-run deficit. After Brent Todys walked, Keolu Ramos floated a ball to shallow center. The ball fell in between the Bermuda Triangle between DuPage's center fielder, shortstop, and left fielder. Blackford scored easily from third. Todys had to haul it from second but came across the plate without a play to tie the game at 13. Lafayette scored eight unanswered runs to send the game to extras.
DuPage scored two runs in the top of the tenth. The first came on a ground ball to Chris Monroe at first base with two runners on base and the infield drawn in. Monroe fielded the grounder cleanly, but his throw home was mishandled by Matt Phipps (Western Kentucky) and DuPage took a 14-13 lead. A wild pitch allowed the 15th Pistol Shrimp run to score.
The Lafayette Aviators will be off on Monday, and will take on the Normal Cornbelters at 1:05 PM ET at Loeb Stadium on Tuesday the 25th.
Prospect League Stories from June 23, 2019
- Aviators Rally Falls Short - Lafayette Aviators
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