AtL Lancaster Stormers

Barnstormers Power Past Patriots

August 3, 2015 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


The Lancaster Barnstormers put on a power display unequaled in 2015 to surge past the Somerset Patriots, 7-6, Monday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Zach Collier clubbed his second, and the team's fourth, homer of the ninth with one out in the bottom half of the ninth inning to tie the game, and two batters later Kent Matthes won it with a long RBI double to right center . The victory, Lancaster's 10th in the last 11 games, gave the Barnstormers a four-game lead in the Freedom Division in the second half.

The four homers were a season high.

Somerset closer Jon Hunton, the league leader with 26 saves, retired Yusuke Kajimoto to open the ninth, but Collier sat on the first pitch, launching it between the far picnic tent and the back advertising wall. Anderson Feliz hit a bouncer in the hole which was bobbled by shortstop Robert Andino. Matthes, who was hitless on the night, battled Hunton (1-2) to a 2-2 count before doubling off the fence in right center. Feliz raced around to score, coming home easily when center fielder Nate Spears had difficulty playing the ball cleanly off the vinyl signs.

The Patriots took three different leads on the night, two provided by left fielder Aharon Eggleston. Eggleston, who has reached base in 36 straight games, lined a homer onto the picnic deck in the first inning and singled home two runs for a 6-4 lead in the seventh. Andino gave the Patriots their second lead with an RBI single through the hole on the right side, scoring Greg Hopkins in the top of the fourth.

Each time Lancaster had an answer. Collier lined Lucas Irvine's first pitch into the screen in right center to tie the game in the first. Luke Hughes wiped out the second lead with a homer to right center with one out in the sixth to tie the game at 4-4.

Lancaster's only other lead of the night, a short-lived, 3-1 edge, came on Lance Zawadzki's two-run homer to right center in the bottom of the second.

Marcus Walden (2-3) picked up the win with a perfect ninth inning.

Following an off day on Tuesday, the Barnstormers head to Bridgeport to open a four-game series against the Liberty Division leading Bluefish. Shunsuke Watanabe (5-3) will make the start for Lancaster against fellow right-hander D.J. Mitchell (5-7). Fans may tune into 1390-AM, WLAN; rumba1390.com or the I Heart Radio cell phone app, beginning at 6:45.

NOTES: The win was the first of the season when Lancaster trailed heading into the final scheduled inning...Hunton was a perfect 7-for-7 in save conversions against the Barnstormers on the year...Zawadzki's homer was his eighth in a month as he jumped into a tie with Long Island's Jon Griffin and Sugar Land's Chris Wallace for the league lead...Feliz has hit safely in six straight...Lancaster collected 43 hits, including nine homers, in the four-game series against the league's top pitching staff...Walden extended his streak of scoreless innings to 25 2/3, two shy of the franchise record for any pitcher...It is the longest scoreless streak for a Lancaster reliever.

Check out the Lancaster Stormers Statistics



Atlantic League Stories from August 3, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central