Bats Pile On As Miners Clinch Playoff Berth
Published on August 29, 2014 under Frontier League (FL)
Southern Illinois Miners News Release
Marion, Ill. - The Southern Illinois Miners clinched a berth in the 2014 Frontier League Playoffs in impressive fashion, banging out 13 runs on 16 hits in a 13-3 win over the Normal CornBelters on Friday night at Rent One Park.
It represented the fifth time in eight years as a franchise that the Miners had clinched a spot in the playoffs, and they wasted little time in putting runs on the board. After an RBI single by Sam Judah put the visitors up 1-0 in the top of the first, Southern Illinois bounced right back with a walk with one out by Ryan Cavan and two consecutive RBI doubles by Niko Vasquez and Frank Martinez, making it 2-1 after one inning.
In the second inning, the Miners would blow the game wide open with a seven-run rally, completely orchestrated with two outs already on the board. Cavan, Vasquez and Martinez reached with back-to-back-to-back singles to plate one run, and Aaron Gates followed with a two-run double to right to make it 5-1. Chris Burke would then hit a two-run homer down the left field line, and after a Marquis Riley single, Steve Marino followed suit with a two-run blast of his own, chasing starter Mike Devine (3-5) from the game.
Against reliever Jack Wagoner, the onslaught would continue in the form of a Gates ground-rule double and a Riley two-run single with the bases loaded, plus a wild pitch as Southern Illinois scored four more in the third for a 13-3 advantage.
Neither side scored for the rest of the contest, with Matt Bywater (8-4) pitching six innings while allowing two earned runs on four hits with five strikeouts in earning his second-straight win. Cavan, Martinez and Gates each had three hits to lead the way on offense, with Martinez, Gates, Burke, Riley and Marino compiling multiple RBIs as Southern Illinois booked a return trip to the playoffs.
The Miners will go for the series win on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. with Miguel Ramirez on the hill opposed by Normal's Cullen Babin.
Frontier League Stories from August 29, 2014
- Rascals Edge Crushers, 3-2 - River City Rascals
- Bats Pile On As Miners Clinch Playoff Berth - Southern Illinois Miners
- Otters' Doubleheader Sweep Ties Most Wins in Single Season Franchise History - Evansville Otters
- Miners Explode in 1st 3 Innings to Rout CornBelters - Normal CornBelters
- Slammers Defeat the Frontier Greys 6-3 on Friday Night - Joliet Slammers
- Boomers Capture Ninth Straight - Schaumburg Boomers
- Grizzlies Fall to Washington in Extras - Gateway Grizzlies
- Washington Wins 3-2 in Extras at Gateway - Washington Wild Things
- Delgado, Beach Bums Blank Aviators 5-0 - Traverse City Beach Bums
- Four-Run Fourth Boosts Beach Bums 5-0 - Rockford Aviators
- August 29 Florence Freedom Double Header Game Notes - Florence Y'alls
- Otters Open Final Weekend Series with Doubleheader vs. Florence - Evansville Otters
- CornBelters Play into Morning for 6th Straight Win - Normal CornBelters
- Slammers Win 4-1 in Game Called Due to Rain and Wet Conditions - Joliet Slammers
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