FL Normal CornBelters

CornBelters explode for final road win

Published on September 1, 2011 under Frontier League (FL)
Normal CornBelters News Release


Explosive offense and the third complete game from Bobby Pritchett led the Normal CornBelters, presented by Illinois Corn Farmers, to a 16-5 win over the Evansville Otters on Thursday night at Bosse Field in Evansville, Indiana.

The CornBelters took the early lead in the first inning. Alvaro Ramirez led off with a single and was retired on a fielder's choice ground ball by Frank Martinez. Martinez went to second on a passed ball and moved to third on a single by Asif Shah. Mark Samuelson drove in Martinez with a base hit up the middle.

The Belters added to the lead in the second. Normal loaded the bases with one out with an Andrew Barbaro single, a walk to Andy White and a pitch that hit Alvaro Ramirez. Walks to Frank Martinez and Asif Shah increased the lead to 3-0, and Steve Alexander singled to center to drive in two more to complete the scoring in the inning and put Normal up 5-0.

The Otters dented the scoreboard in the third with some CornBelters help. Greg Fontenot led off with a single followed by a walk to Ryan Still. Belters pitcher Bobby Pritchett had Still picked off, but a muff and a wild throw on the ensuing rundown allowed the runners to move up to second and third. Jose Hernandez walked to load the bases, and two-run doubles by Steve Caseres and Phil Britton put the Otters within a run at 5-4.

The CornBelters put another crooked number up in the fourth. With two outs, Frank Martinez and Asif Shah singled to put runners on the corners. Martinez scored on a passed ball, but Steve Alexander put his 22nd home run over the left-field wall for a two-run shot to give Normal an 8-4 lead.

The Belters piled on five more runs in the fifth. Mike Mobbs led off with a double, followed by a one-out walk to Andrew Barbaro. Andy White tried to bunt the runners over but was hit on the top of the hand, although he was ruled to have fouled the pitch. After some attention from trainer Tosh Kajiyama, White returned to the batter's box and singled to left to score Shah. Alvaro Ramirez was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game and fourth time in the series to load the bases, and Frank Martinez walked to score a run for the second time in the game. An Asif Shah sacrifice fly scored White, and Steve Alexander increased his RBI total for the game to six with a single up the middle to score Ramirez and Martinez and give the CornBelters a 13-4 advantage.

Evansville scored with two outs in the fifth on consecutive doubles by Dan Killian and Phil Britton to cut the Normal lead to 13-5.

The CornBelters added three more in the ninth. Daniel Cox led off with a double and scored on a two-out single by Alvaro Ramirez. Frank Martinez put the exclamation point on the game with his 14th home run, a bomb that left Bosse Field over the right field wall.

Bobby Pritchett (9-5) earned the win in his final start of the season, going the distance, giving up 11 hits while walking three and striking out five. Otters starter Joey Satriano (3-2) took the loss.

Evansville's Jared Jordan played all nine defensive positions, the first Otter to do so since Matt Cano in 1998.

The CornBelters return home for the final three games this weekend against the Florence Freedom. Right-hander Ryan Sheldon (11-5, 2.94) is scheduled to start on the mound for the Belters. Friday is "Cram the Crib Night" with country music star Larry Gatlin in concert beginning at 6 p.m. Gates open at 5:30. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. with pre-game on WEZC-FM 95.9 and WJBC.com at 6:50.

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