AtL Lancaster Stormers

Burkhart Leads Rally, Barnstormers Down Ducks, 9-5

May 10, 2007 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


For a while on Thursday night, it looked like the weather might be the Barnstormers only salvation.

Instead, playing in intermittent showers, the Barnstormers rallied from an early 5-0 deficit to capture the rubber game of a three-game series against the Long Island Ducks, 9-5, with 5,797 looking on at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Lance Burkhart clubbed a three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game then drove in the go-ahead run with a bases loaded walk in the seventh. The Lancaster catcher is now 10-for-15 with seven walks on the season and has a club-leading eight RBI.

Ray Navarrete greeted Josh Stevens with a home run, and Long Island continued its assault with three singles in the first inning for a 2-0 lead.

Stevens' hole grew worse in the second as P.J. Rose slugged a three-run homer off the railings of the picnic deck, giving the Ducks a 5-0 lead. Coming out of the second, Stevens had thrown 55 pitches, and it looked like the Barnstormers would be digging into the bullpen early.

Instead, Stevens worked through six innings, not allowing another run and giving his team a chance to win.

Steve Van Note dropped a looping single into right field in the bottom of the second to knock in the comeback's first run. Michael Woods' base hit to center brought in Jeremy Todd in the fourth to cut the lead to 5-2.

Danny Gonzalez and Jutt Hileman opened the fifth with consecutive singles off lefty John Halama. Todd fanned for the first out, but Burkhart, after the runners had advanced on a wild pitch, crushed his homer to the deepest part of the ballpark in left center, drawing the Barnstormers even.

Kevin Tolar (0-1) walked Gonzalez to start the bottom of the seventh. He then drilled Hileman with an 0-2 fastball and yielded a solid single to right by Todd to load the bags.

Ducks skipper Dave LaPoint brought on right-hander Todd Erdos to face Burkhart, who worked the count and finally earned the walk after a lengthy battle. The managers continued to maneuver as Frank Klebe went to two consecutive pinch hitters. Manny Santana was unable to deliver, grounding into a force at the plate, but Chris Van Rossum singled to right for a 7-5 lead.

Van Note drew the second bases loaded walk of the inning, and Bo Hart knocked in the fourth run of the frame with a ground ball for the eventual 9-5 margin.

Ross Peeples (1-0) earned the win but found trouble in the eighth, loading the bases with two outs. Derrick DePriest was summoned from the bullpen to face switch hitting Derek Wathan and got him to pop to shortstop on his first pitch. DePriest retired the side in order in the ninth to earn his first save of the season.

NOTES: Quincy Foster went 0-for-5 to end a five-game hitting streak...Burkhart and Van Note have each hit safely in all five games they have played...Van Note has only two hits on the year but has knocked in five runs...DePriest has allowed only one hit in 5 1/3 innings...Peeples, Todd Pennington and DePriest all appeared four times on the homestand...Van Rossum's hit was Lancaster's first in nine at bats with the bases loaded this season...The series shifts to Long Island for a 7:05 start on Friday...Scott Sobkowiak (0-1) will make the start for Lancaster against John Riedling (0-0).

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Atlantic League Stories from May 10, 2007


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