Aviators Win with Fireworks in Fifth
July 4, 2019 - Prospect League (Prospect)
Lafayette Aviators News Release
DuPage, IL - On an overcast 4th of July afternoon in Illinois, the Lafayette Aviators (18-13) bested the DuPage Pistol Shrimp (16-14) by a score of 8-4.
The Aviators struck first in the top of the third inning. After Zach Heeke (Central Michigan) drew a walk, Zach Schwartzenberger (Toledo) hit him around with his second double of the season. A couple of pitches later, Schwartzenberger sped home on a wild pitch to give the Aviators a 2-0 lead.
Later in the third, the Pistol Shrimp took their first lead of the day with three runs off two hits, a hit-by-pitch, and a walk. Dane Toppel doubled in the frame to bring in two of the DuPage runs.
The Pistol Shrimp threatened again in the fourth inning with runners on first and second and no outs. Matt Burleton (Marian) on the mound for Lafayatte stood tall and induced a ground ball double play and then a pop out to get out of the jam.
In the top of the fifth inning the Aviators exploded at the plate and chased the Shrimp starter Luke Fitton out of the game. Zach Heeke once again started the inning off, this time with a single. Following Heeke, Schwartzenberger and Sweeney both drew walks to load the bases for Chris Monroe. With nobody out, "Diesel" recorded his 29th RBI of the season with a deep sac fly to left center field to score Heeke. Blake Schmitt (Purdue) and Braedon Blackford (Illinois State) earned two more walks to force in another run for Lafayette, making it a 4-3 ball game. Matt Mackey (Eastern Illinois) stepped up with the bases loaded and delivered a one-out single to bring in both Sweeney and Schmitt. After Mackey, Alex Dorethy (Western Illinois) knocked a single of his own to score Blackford and give Lafayette a 7-3 edge.
DuPage got a run back in the fifth, but the Aviators scored again in the sixth of a wild pitch that allowed Zach Schwartzenberger to score from third. Schwartzy singled to get on base and then was hit over to third on a double by Chris Monroe. The two-bagger was Monroe's league-leading 17th of the summer. Zach Schwartzenberger's single gave the Toledo Rocket his second multi-hit game of the season. After the top of the sixth, the Aviators led 8-4.
Justin Foy (Western Illinois) closed out the game for Lafayette on the mound with a dominant 1-2-3 ninth inning to shut the door on the Pistol Shrimp.On Friday the Aviators travel to Normal to take on the Cornbelters. Lafayette will not play at home until July 11th when they meet Danville at 7:05 PM ET.
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Prospect League Stories from July 4, 2019
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- Aviators Win with Fireworks in Fifth - Lafayette Aviators
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