FL Normal CornBelters

CornBelters fight back for 11-inning win over Grizzlies

Published on June 14, 2011 under Frontier League (FL)
Normal CornBelters News Release


Call them the comeback kids. The Normal CornBelters, presented by Illinois Corn Farmers, battled back from deficits of 4-0 and 5-2 to tie the game in the ninth and win in 11 innings over the Gateway Grizzlies, 7-6, at GCS Ballpark in Sauget, Illinois.

The Grizzlies struck first in the bottom of the second when ten Grizzlies batted against CornBelters starter Bobby Pritchett. Charlie Lisk led off with a walk and moved to second when Joe Agreste singled. Landon Hernandez bunted to move the runners, but the throw went to third and was late to load the bases. Brandon Peters then doubled to the right field wall to score two runs. After T.S. Reed walked to re-load the bases, Ryan Khoury singled to right to score two more runs to make the Grizzlies' lead 4-0. The third walk of the inning loaded the bases again, but Charlie Lisk grounded back to Pritchett to end the threat.

The CornBelters touched Grizzlies starter B.J. Dail for a walk and two singles in the third, but couldn't score as Alvaro Ramirez was thrown out at the plate on one of the base hits.

The 'Belters cut the deficit to 4-2 in the fifth. Colin Moro led off with a walk, and Mike Mobbs, making his fourth appearance of the year in the Normal lineup, homered to right field to cut the Grizzlies lead in half.

Gateway added to its cushion in the eighth with a leadoff double by Landon Hernandez and a single by Brandon Peters for his third RBI of the night.

A ninth-inning rally by the CornBelters tied the game. Jeff Dunbar led off with a sharp single followed by Colin Moro's third home run of the season, a ball that just cleared the right-field fence to cut the deficit to 5-4. Tyler Keeble walked, followed by an infield hit by Alvaro Ramirez and a fielder's choice by Frank Martinez. With two outs, Daniel Cox lined a single to center that scored Keeble to tie the game 5-5, but Frank Martinez was cut down at the plate trying to score from first.

The Grizzlies rallied in the tenth, loading the bases with one out, but 'Belters reliever Liam Ohlmann struck out Tyler Heil and pinch-hitter David Phillips to strand all three runners and send the game to the eleventh inning.

The CornBelters continued the comeback in the eleventh, all with two outs. Alvaro Ramirez reached by an infield single, and Frank Martinez bombed his fourth home run of the season well over the large right-field wall to put the CornBelters up 7-5.

The Grizzlies weren't done in their half of the eleventh. Ryan Khoury led off with a walk and scored on a double by Logan Parker, who advanced to third on the throw home. With the tying run on third, Ohlmann retired the next three hitters to end the game.

Ohlmann pitched the final four innings to pick up his first win and improve to 1-1. Cory Davisson was tagged with the loss to fall to 0-1.

The series and road trip ends at GCS Ballpark with an 11:35 a.m. first pitch with Brett Lester (3-0, 2.67) starting for the CornBelters against the Grizzlies' Josh Davis (0-0, 9.90) in a duel of right-handers. Pre-game is 11:20 on WJBC.com.

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Frontier League Stories from June 14, 2011


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