AtL Lancaster Stormers

Barnstormers Lose After 8-0 Lead

Published on August 21, 2021 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


The Lancaster Barnstormers appeared well on the way to their seventh straight win over the West Virginia Power on Friday evening.

Then, the roof fell in.

The Power struck for 11 runs over three innings to overcome an 8-0 deficit and defeat the Barnstormers, 11-10 at Appalachian Power Park.

Lancaster could not have played much better over the first four innings. Kelly Dugan belted a monstrous two-run homer to center in the first, and Blake Allemand cracked a grand slam in the second. Two more runs scored in the fourth, keyed by a Cleuluis Rondon double.

Meanwhile, Dominic DiSabatino was working on a one-hitter with no Power runner reaching second base. Jake Hoover made a fabulous play at third on Connor Myers in the first.

It looked like the 'Stormers were well on the way to the win.

The change in momentum started slowly. Caleb Gindl lined out with two mates aboard in the top of the fifth. Two singles with one out in the bottom of the fifth put pressure on DiSabatino for the first time in the game. Myers slapped a sharp one-hopper to second baseman Blake Allemand. He made the backhanded flip to second, but Myers beat the relay throw to first.

Then, DiSabatino was charged with a balk, allowing Alfonso Reda to score with the first West Virginia run. Dominic Bethancourt, in the game as the pitcher, and Jimmy Paredes followed with doubles to cut the lead to 8-3 before DiSabatino could escape the inning.

Miles Williams and Nate Easley each hit a two-run homer off Yoel Espinal in the sixth. Tyler LaPorte took over and struck out Myers before walking Bethancourt and surrendering a second double to Paredes. Edwin Espinal stroked a grounder to third, but it was mishandled by Hoover as the tying run scored. Olmo Rosario drilled an RBI single for a 9-8 Power lead.

Lancaster had an answer in its speed. Trayvon Robinson walked to lead off the top of the seventh and promptly stole second. LeDarious Clark hit a slow roller to short which was misplaced by Elmer Reyes. With Clark in motion, Anthony Peroni grounded to short to score Robinson. Clark stole third with Hoover batting. Max Povse (1-0) struck out Hoover on a pitch in the dirt, forcing Reda to throw to first. Clark took off for the plate and beat the relay throw from Espinal to give Lancaster a 10-9 lead.

That proved to be short-lived. In the bottom of the seventh, Ben Wanger (0-1) walked Reda and Easley followed with a single. Myers laid down a sac bunt, and Conner Kovach tied the game with a sacrifice fly. Gabriel Moya was summoned. His first pitch was hammered to the wall in left center for Paredes' third straight double and the 11-10 lead.

Joe Testa and Mike Broadway faced the minimum of six batters over the final two innings to nail it down. Broadway earned his fourth save.

NOTES: The game was delayed in the first inning on a nasty verbal altercation between the Power and the assigned first base umpire...One player and two coaches were ejected from the game before the umpire himself was dismissed by the league office...Lancaster manager Ross Peeples pulled his team off the field at one point...The Barnstormers have hit seven homers in the last two games...Clark is 18-for-18 on the basepaths; Robinson is 12-for-12...Allemand was hit by a pitch for the third straight game...Rondon was perfect, going 3-for-3 with a walk.

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