FL Lake Erie Crushers

Crushers fall, 8-2, to Otters in series opener

Published on July 10, 2015 under Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release


EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The Lake Erie Crushers opened their final series of the first half of the season, with an 8-2 loss at the hands of the Evansville Otters at Bosse Field on Friday night.

The loss for the Crushers (19-27) was their fifth in six games against the Otters (31-18) this season, while the victory for Evansville gives them three in their last four games.

Evansville capitalized on five extra base hits, and used a three-run third inning to take a lead that they would never surrender, while the Crushers saw a few opportunities to score early disappear.

Hunter Adkins (2-4) retired seven of the first eight batters he faced, without allowing a hit until Cory Urquart smacked his 1-2 pitch into right field for Evansville's first base hit of the game. John Schultz followed with a walk, and Josh Allen drove them both home on a double to the gap in right center. Allen advanced to third on the play, and then stole home moments later to give the Otters a 3-0 lead.

Nik Balog, who had really struggled against the Crushers, going 1-for-25 on the year, blew up and drove in the next four runs for the Otters. He struck first with a two-run homer to right in the fourth inning, his second of the year. Balog struck again in the fifth inning, with a two out double off the wall in right, which plated two more runs.

The otters plated their final run of the game in the bottom of the seventh, when Kurt Wert Jr. stroked a two out RBI double down the line in right.

Both of Lake Erie's runs came late. They got on the board in the top of the eighth inning. Joey Burney was hit by a pitch with one out, and later scored the first run on Kevin Zak's infield single. In the ninth, Austin Prott drove Trevor Stevens home on a sacrifice fly.

Trevor Walch (6-3), who entered with the fourth best ERA in the Frontier League, pitched a great game for the Otters, tossing seven scoreless innings, while allowing six hits and fanned three batters in a winning effort. Adkins took the loss after allowing seven runs on seven hits over six innings and struck out eight.

Eight out of the starting nine reached safely at least once for the Crushers, including Prott who reached on a walk in the third inning to extend his on base streak to 14 games in the process. Juan Sanchez and Chandler Brock each hit safely twice, and Sanchez extended his hitting streak to 13 games.

The Crushers will continue their three game series with the Evansville Otters as Bosse Field in Evansville, Ind., on Saturday night. Right-hander Rob Blanc (0-3, 2.78) will start for the Crushers and the Otters will counter with right-hander Tyler Vail (4-2. 4.08). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:35 PM.

The Lake Erie Crushers, the 2009 Frontier League Champions, and 2011 Frontier League Organization of the year, play ball at All Pro Freight Stadium, a 5,000 capacity stadium located in Avon, Ohio. The Frontier League is an independent baseball league with 14 teams operating throughout the Midwest. Season tickets for the 2015 season are on sale now! For more information on tickets, promotions and team news, visit the team website at www.LakeErieCrushers.com or call 440-934-3636.

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Frontier League Stories from July 10, 2015


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