AtL Lancaster Stormers

Barnstormers Claim Post-Midnight Win

Published on June 26, 2011 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


It was long. It was, at times, ugly. It was never dull.

Ozzie Chavez singled home Alvin Colina with two outs in the bottom of the 16th inning, finally putting to rest the longest game by innings in Clipper Magazine Stadium history, as the Lancaster Barnstormers slipped past the Somerset Patriots, 7-6, just after midnight Sunday morning.

With the win, the Barnstormers managed to stay 1 ½ games ahead of the York Revolution in the Freedom Division race.

With two outs in the 16th, Colina, batting for the eighth time, notched his first hit, a double into the right field corner off Luke Sommer (0-2), who was in his fifth inning of work. Chavez followed with a smash that hopped over first baseman Justin Huber's glove as Colina scampered home with the deciding tally.

The Barnstormers got a last minute reprieve from the governor twice earlier in the game.

In the bottom of the ninth, Lancaster was down, 4-2, but a bobble by second baseman Matt Hagen on a chopper by Gilberto Mejia sparked the offense. Closer Andrew Dobies struck out Ben Copeland for the second out, but Tommy Everidge kept the game alive with a single to left center. Mejia snuck over to third with Fernando Seguignol at the plate. The Lancaster DH then hit a crisp grounder to the backhand side of third baseman Jeff Nettles, who was unable to make a play as Mejia scored. Aaron Herr followed with a single to center to tie the game at 4-4.

Somerset grabbed a pair of runs in a messy top of the 11th inning. Wayne Lydon followed a pair of walks with a two-out RBI single to right. Joe Holden brought a second run home after the ball bounced past right fielder Sam Wiley.

Somerset's defense again helped the Barnstormers to get back in the game. Copeland led off with a grounder to short which was booted by Fernando Cortez. Ryan Houston struck out both Everidge and Seguignol, but Herr kept Lancaster alive with a single to left. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, then J.C. Holt delivered a two-run single to left center, once again tying the contest.

A pair of RBI hits by Huber and a two-run bloop single by Michael Hernandez had helped the Patriots build a 4-2 lead through five innings.

The two clubs have a short rest as they will meet for a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at 4:00. Lancaster will send John Halama (1-0) and Yunior Novoa (1-2) to the mound against Kevin Reese (1-1) and Chris Oxspring (0-3). The twin bill will be aired on Fox Sports Radio, 1490, WLPA and streamed on sportsjuice.com and ibnsports.com.

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Atlantic League Stories from June 26, 2011


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