Bolts' Late Rally Comes up Short in Loss
Published on May 14, 2026 under Frontier League (FL)
Windy City ThunderBolts News Release
AVON, OH - The Lake Erie Crushers scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning, snapping the ThunderBolts' three-game winning streak in a 5-4 final at ForeFront Field Thursday afternoon.
The Crushers (2-4) wasted no time in taking the lead. Pavin Parks led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo home run.
It remained 1-0 until the fourth, when the Bolts (5-2) struck for the first time. Robbie Ayers led off the inning by reaching on an error and Spence Coffman singled him to third base. On a double play, Ayers came home to tie the score.
Lake Erie had an immediate response, getting an RBI single from Jarrod Watkins in the bottom of the inning to reclaim the lead. They added to it with a Samuel Benjamin RBI base hit in the fifth, making it 3-1.
The scoring went back and forth as the ThunderBolts plated their second run in the sixth. Jared Beebe singled, one of his four times on base, and scored on a Spence Coffman sacrifice fly.
Again, the Crushers responded. They made it 4-2 on a Parks sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth.
In the eighth inning, the Bolts loaded the bases with no outs on a single, a walk and an error. Brandyn Sittinger got James Dunlap to hit into a double play, slowing down the threat, but Michael Sandle came through with a two-run single, evening the score at 4-4.
For the third time, after a Windy City score, Lake Erie answered. On a hit, a walk and a hit batter, they loaded the bases in the eighth. Parks then drew a walk to force in the winning run.
Sittinger (1-0) blew the save but pitched two innings for the win. Avery Cook (0-1) allowed the winning run and took the loss.
The Bolts' six-game road trip continues in Sauget, Illinois on Friday for the start of a three-game series with the Gateway Grizzlies. Kevin Figueredo (0-1, 13.50) gets the game one start for the Bolts. First pitch from Arsenal BG Ballpark is scheduled for 6:30 CDT and broadcast information is accessible at wcthunderbolts.com.
Frontier League Stories from May 14, 2026
- Bird Dawgs Refuse to Quit, Walk off Capitales 10-9 in Extras - Down East Bird Dawgs
- Preston Johnson's Next Chapter Begins as a Member of the Minnesota Twins - Mississippi Mud Monsters
- Bolts' Late Rally Comes up Short in Loss - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Parks' Big Day Propels Crushers to Series Finale Win over Windy City - Lake Erie Crushers
- Miners Offense Schools ValleyCats on Education Day - Sussex County Miners
- The Hardyz and Wrestling Superstars Coming to ForeFront Field on July 10th - Lake Erie Crushers
- Wild Things Club 5 Homers, Hang on in Game 1 of DH - Washington Wild Things
- Record Day at the Plate, on the Mound Fuels 8-3 Win over Florence - Mississippi Mud Monsters
- Otters Drop First Games of 2026 in DH - Evansville Otters
- Four-Run Seventh Guides Titans to Victory - Ottawa Titans
- Wild Things Score Nine in Sixth, Sweep DH - Washington Wild Things
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.
