CornBelters Split Doubleheader with Miners
Published on May 31, 2018 under Frontier League (FL)
Normal CornBelters News Release
CARBONDALE, Illinois - The Normal CornBelters (7-9) left Normal to retreat on a nine-game homestand across the Frontier League. They began their search in Southern Illinois to face the Miners. The Belter bats dominated the Miners pitching staff and stole the first game of a doubleheader 13-8.
From the start of the first pitch, the bats were hot and that would prove to be the narrative of the entire night. With a combined total of twenty-six hits between both teams, offense way displayed continuously throughout the game.
The CornBelters were able to get the hot hand first, scoring five runs in the first inning behind strong at-bats from Nick Cain, Andrew Godbold, and Chris Iriart. Justin Fletcher, in the leadoff spot for the first time since coming back from the disabled list, started off the inning with a single. Chirino, determined to reach hit 636, would move the runner off an error before Nick Cain would double to bring in both runs. Sequentially, Godbold doubled and then Irirat homered to bring in all five runs for the Belters.
The Belters would continue scoring for the next two innings, bringing in a total of thirteen runs on eighteen hits, the most this entire season. In the second, Nick Cain doubled before Tanner Lubach would single to bring in the sole run of the inning. In the third, after Southern Illinois brought in the bullpen, Fletcher singled with the bases loaded to earn his second of three hits and record his third and fourth RBIs of the season.
With the bases loaded again the fifth, Derek Bauer, after substituting for Nick Cain, walked to bring in a run. Lubach and Godbold would single later in the inning to bring in four more runs.
Southpaw Scott Sebald started for Normal and threw a strong game. Through five complete innings, Sebald struck out six and walked two while giving up three earned runs on five hits. His ERA improved to 4.13. Jose Savinon came on in the sixth inning and threw four strikeouts while giving up two runs, to hold on to a strong Sebald start.
GAME 2
In the second game of the doubleheader centerfielder, Nick Cain, got the CornBelters bats going with a double in the first inning. The CornBelters were shut out in back to back innings but catcher Tanner Lubach got the scoring started for Normal with a solo home run in the top of the fourth inning. It appeared the Miners would get on the board first after they loaded the bases on a Chris Scura single in the bottom of the third. CornBelters pitcher Matt Portland struck out Joe Dudek and Lubach putout John Holland who was attempting to steal home to get out of the bases loaded jam.
The CornBelters found themselves in another bases-loaded jam in the fourth. Again, the Belters defense eliminated the scoring threat with a Derrick Loveless putout in right field. The Miners were able to get on the board in the fifth inning when Chris Scura scored on a fielder's choice to tie the game. Nolan Early hit a double that scored Chance Shephard to give the Miners the lead. The Miners were able to extend their lead in the same inning when Early touched home on a Trevor Simms wild pitch to make it 3-1 in the fifth.
The Miners managed to get on the board one more time in the sixth when Joe Dudek hit a two-run homer off Jonathan De Marte.
Matt Portland faced 18 batters over four innings only allowing three hits and two walks with five strikeouts and keeping the Miners scoreless. Reliever, Anthony Herrera, faced six batters and put out two Miners batters. Trevor Simms found time on the mound and put away one batter. Jonathan De Marte pitched one inning with two strikeouts.
Patrick Duester started the seventh inning for the Miners and allowed two Belter runners before closing out the game to give Normal their tenth loss this season.
The CornBelters look to bounce back from their 6-1 loss as they finish the series against Southern Illinois Thursday with a 7:05 start.
Frontier League Stories from May 31, 2018
- Third Straight Bums Comeback Thwarted in Extra Innings - Traverse City Beach Bums
- Boomers Score Abbreviated Sweep of Windy City - Schaumburg Boomers
- Crushers score two in 11th to avoid Traverse City sweep - Lake Erie Crushers
- Thursday's Game vs Normal Postponed - Southern Illinois Miners
- Series Finale against Freedom Postponed - Evansville Otters
- CornBelters Split Doubleheader with Miners - Normal CornBelters
- Otters Sweep Doubleheader As Freedom Drop Sixth Straight - Florence Y'alls
- Miners Split Wednesday Doubleheader with CornBelters - Southern Illinois Miners
- Boomers Rally to Road Victory - Schaumburg Boomers
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