Aviators Win Home Opener
June 6, 2019 - Prospect League (Prospect)
Lafayette Aviators News Release
Lafayette, IN- The Lafayette Aviators (6-1) hung on to beat the Danville Dans (4-3) 7-6 to win their first home game of the season at Historic Loeb Stadium.
The Aviators got off to a red-hot start in their first home game of the 2019 season at Historic Loeb Stadium. Tyler Powers (Purdue) started things off with a sharply hit single in the bottom of the first inning. Powers wasn't just celebrating People's Co.'s Thirsty Thursday with that base hit, but also celebrated his birthday on Thursday.
Brent Todys (Ohio State) probably didn't know most of his teammates' names before he hit his first homerun of the season as an Aviator. In his very first at-bat, the Buckeye sent a hard line drive over the right field wall to score Powers and give Lafayette a 2-0 lead with no outs in the first inning.
After Trey Sweeney (Eastern Illinois) singled and then stole second, Braedon Blackford (Carl Sandburg) doubled to center field, scoring Sweeney and pushing the Lafayette lead to 3-0. The Aviators smacked four hits in the first inning, including three in a row from Powers, Todys, and Sweeney to lead off the frame. Blackford has now recorded a hit in all seven games to start the season for the Aviators.
The Dans got two runs back in the bottom of the fourth when a miscommunication between Aviators catcher Matt Phipps (Western Kentucky) and third basemen Braedon Blackford resulted in a ball thrown into left field, allowing a Dan to score. Danville's Bradford Powers singled to bring in another run, cutting the Aviator lead down to 3-2.
After the Aviators starter Nathaniel Tate (East Tennessee State) left the game with four innings pitched and no earned runs allowed, the Lafayette bullpen strained to keep Dans off the bases. Danville was able to put up three runs on just one hit and three walks in the fifth inning. The Dans tacked on another solitary run in the sixth after a Richard Sorrenti sac-fly.
Lafayette answered in a big way in the bottom of the sixth inning after surrendering the lead in the top of the inning. The Aviators were able to draw two walks and were hit by pitches twice in the inning. After savvy baserunning from the home team, Lafayette was able to sneak across two runs to make it 6-5. With the bases loaded and two outs, Brent Todys grounded a ball up the middle that was fumbled by the Dans' shortstop. The play allowed two Aviators to score and take a 7-6 lead that would hold the rest of the way.
The Aviators take on the Dans again on Friday at 7:05 PM ET. Friday is a Cap Giveaway at Loeb, presented by Star City Broadcasting. If you can't make it to the game, be sure to tune in to Comcast Channel 5 or 104.3 FM The Patriot to catch the action.
Prospect League Stories from June 6, 2019
- Smith Grand Slam Helps Paints to 10-3 Win - Chillicothe Paints
- Aviators Win Home Opener - Lafayette Aviators
- Paints' Dylan Shockley Drafted by Pittsburgh Pirates - Chillicothe Paints
- Paints Fall Short, Lose 5-3 to REX - Chillicothe Paints
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