
Frontier League Recap
July 14, 2024 - Frontier League (FL) News Release
TRI-CITY SHUTS OUT AND BLOWS OUT NEW JERSEY
TROY, NY - The Tri-City ValleyCats dominated the New Jersey Jackals to the tune of a 14-0 victory at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium on Saturday night.
The ValleyCats (30-26) did not relent against their divisional foe, limiting the Jackals (17-38) to four hits while racking up 13 of their own. Tri-City opened the scoring in the third inning with a two-run bomb from SS Robbie Merced and then doubled their lead in the fifth on a base hit and an error. The Jackals came undone in the seventh inning as the ValleyCats posted eight runs in the frame, including a three-run home run from C Chris Burgess. Tri-City sent 12 men to the plate in an inning where CF Jaxon Hallmark drove in two runs on two separate extra-base hits (one double and one triple). Two more runs came across in the eighth for the ValleyCats, capping a 14-0 series-clinching shutout. RHP Gino Sabatine earned the win for Tri-City while RHP Nathan Medrano picked up a rare four-inning save. LHP Alex Barker took the loss after allowing seven earned runs.
The ValleyCats will attempt to complete the sweep in the finale on Sunday. First pitch 5:00 PM EDT.
WASHINGTON TAKES SERIES WITH CONVINCING WIN OVER Y'ALLS
FLORENCE, KY - The Washington Wild Things buried the Florence Y'alls at Wild Things Ballpark on Saturday with an impressive 12-2 win.
The Wild Things (37-18) have taken yet another series against the Y'alls (23-32), their second in July; Washington has yet to drop a series this month, taking four straight to stay on top of the Frontier League West division. 2B Jalen Miller got things started for the Wild Things in the second inning with his first home run of the year. After a run came across as the result of a double play in the third, Washington made it 3-0 on an RBI single from All-Star CF Caleb McNeely in the fourth. 3B Tommy Caufield made it 5-0 in the sixth with a two-run single. He was later driven in on DH Tyreque Reed's two-run blast that made the score 7-0. The scoring was non-stop for the Wild Things, as they posted nine runs between the sixth and the eighth innings to build their lead up to 12-0. The Y'alls were able to prevent the shutout with two runs in the ninth, but the lead stood for Washington. Reed and Caufield combined for seven RBIs while LHP Ryan Munoz tossed 6.2 innings of shutout ball for the win. RHP Edgar Martinez took the loss for Florence.
The Wild Things are one game away from their sixth series sweep of the season, which they will try to accomplish in the finale on Sunday. First pitch is at 1:07 PM EDT.
GARCIA'S GRAND SLAM EVENS SERIES WITH AIGLES
BROCKTON, MA - The New England Knockouts walked off the Trois-Rivières Aigles in grand style on Saturday night, winning the middle game of the series 7-3.
The victory marks the first walk-off in Knockouts (19-36) history, making it all the more impressive that it was against one of the top teams in the East. The game started in New England's favor, thanks to a solo homer from DH Brady West and a run coming in to score on a fielder's choice in the second inning. The Aigles (31-24) managed to take a 3-2 lead with one swing in the sixth inning, but the Knockouts were able to even the score in the ninth on a solo homer from RF Victory Castillo. The game was forced into extra innings, where New England was able to post a zero defensively before taking their turn to bat. The ghost runner was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and interestingly, the next two batters were intentionally walked to put a force at any base. Needless to say, it did not work out for the Aigles as LF Jalen Garcia lined the second pitch of his at-bat down the line and over the wall for a walk-off grand slam. RHP Reeves Martin earned the win out of the bullpen for New England. RHP Hernando Mejia took the loss for Trois-Rivières.
The Knockouts and Aigles will play a rubber game to determine the series winner on Sunday at 1:00 PM EDT.
BOULDERS TAKE SLUGFEST VS. MINERS, EVEN SERIES
AUGUSTA, NJ - The New York Boulders took down the Sussex County Miners at Skylands Stadium on Saturday night by a final score of 16-7.
The Boulders (33-21) and Miners (20-35) combined for 32 hits in an all-out slugfest, but New York's nine unanswered runs starting in the sixth inning were the biggest difference. The Boulders got off to an early start in the first off a two-run single from CF Isaac Bellony. 1B Peyton Isaacson and 3B Chris Kwitzer added on in the second to make it 4-1 New York. The Miners kept it close, scoring one in the first two innings before disappearing for a few innings. A couple of errors in the fourth and a sacrifice fly ballooned New York's lead up to 7-2. The Miners came back to life in the fifth inning and scored five straight runs to tie the game while they sent all nine hitters to the plate. Kwitzer ensured the game did not remain tied for long, as he launched a two-run homer in the sixth to give New York the lead back at 9-7. The Boulders then ran away with the game in the seventh, thanks to a two-run double by Kwitzer and a three-run by C John DeLuca that was part of a seven-run outburst. RHP Tyler Vail earned the win in relief while LHP Bobby Curry took the loss.
The Boulders and Miners will play a doubleheader on Sunday, with the first game starting at 2:05 PM EDT.
BOOMERS CRUSH BOLTS TO TAKE SERIES
SCHAUMBURG, IL - The Schaumburg Boomers blew out the Windy City ThunderBolts 12-2 on Saturday night at Wintrust Field.
The Boomers (31-25) scored early and often as LHP Cole Cook threw his first complete game of the season. CF Chase Dawson drove in two on a double in the first inning to give Schaumburg the early lead. DH Jake Meyer drove in runs throughout the entire game, beginning with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second that made it 4-0. Meyer then singled in a run as part of a three-run third inning and notched an RBI triple in the fifth that made it 8-0. The ThunderBolts (21-36) surrendered 16 hits in the onslaught and could not figure Cook out until the seventh. Cook, the reigning Pitcher of the Year, only surrendered one run in his nine-inning complete game while racking up nine strikeouts. LHP Michael Barker picked up the loss for Windy City.
The Boomers will attempt to sweep the ThunderBolts in Sunday's finale, which begins at 2:00 PM EDT.
CAPITALES TAKE CLOSE MIDDLE GAME OVER OTTAWA
OTTAWA - The Québec Capitales defeated the Ottawa Titans 5-4 on Saturday night.
The Capitales (36-20) have taken two straight at Titan Stadium and are now on the verge of their first sweep this month. SS Kyle Crowl put Québec on top in the third inning with an RBI single up the middle. Ottawa (32-22) responded in the third with a two-run double and an RBI single to take a 3-1 lead. RF Justin Gideon trimmed the deficit down to 3-2 in the fifth with an RBI double, but the Titans reestablished their lead in the bottom of the inning with an RBI base hit. The sixth proved to be the turning point of the game, as Québec posted three runs to put itself up 5-4; the inning included RBIs from both Crowl and Gideon. RHP Frank Moscatiello was able to get the last four outs for his eighth save of the year to give the Capitales the win. RHP Sam Ryan got the winning decision while LHP Grant Larson took the loss.
The Capitales will attempt to complete the sweep of the Titans in the finale on Sunday. First pitch is at 1:00 PM EDT.
BYRD PROPELS CRUSHERS OVER OTTERS
AVON, OH - Vincent Byrd Jr. drove in two runs to lead the Lake Erie Crushers over the Evansville Otters on Saturday night at Crusher Stadium.
The Crushers (36-20) maintained their second-place spot in the West after their 3-1 win over the Otters (21-35). Lake Erie broke the scoreless tie in the third inning, thanks to RBI hits from RF Jack Harris and DH Vincent Byrd Jr.. Evansville was able to get on the board with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Byrd got the run back for the Crushers in the bottom of the inning with a one-out solo homer that pushed the lead back out to two. The Otters could not muster any significant offensive threat, as the Lake Erie pitching staff only surrendered four hits in the game. LHP Garrett Coe took the win in a bullpen day for the Crushers while LHP Braden Scott took the loss. RHP Trevor Kuncl was able to obtain his 14th save of the season in the victory.
The Crushers have an opportunity to sweep the Otters on Sunday. First pitch in the finale is scheduled for 2:05 PM EDT.
SLAMMERS TAKE CLOSE ONE OVER GRIZZLIES
SAUGET, IL - The Joliet Slammers got even with the Gateway Grizzlies with a 5-4 victory at Grizzlies Ballpark on Saturday night.
The Slammers (26-30) used a big third inning to build their lead while dodging the Gateway (31-24) comeback effort. After a bases-loaded walk gave Joliet a 1-0 lead in the third, 1B Matthew Warkentin cleared the bases on a single and an error to make it 4-0. 2B Antonio Valdez drove in Warkentin later in the inning on a sacrifice fly. The Grizzlies started to creep back into the game in the late innings, beginning with an RBI base hit in the fifth and then adding on with a run scoring on a wild pitch in the seventh. Back-to-back base hits with the bases loaded in the eighth brought Gateway to within one, but the tying run was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. RHP Cameron Smith was able to close things out in the ninth for his second save of the season to give Joliet the win. RHP Brett Sanchez earned the win while RHP Lukas Veinbergs took the loss.
With the series now even, the Slammers and Grizzlies will have to settle things with a rubber game on Sunday. First pitch for the series-deciding game will be thrown at 6:30 PM EDT.
• Discuss this story on the Frontier League message board...
Frontier League Stories from July 14, 2024
- Grizzlies Blast off Late to Take Series from Slammers - Gateway Grizzlies
- Low-Scoring Game Ends in Sudden Death Defeat for Tri-City - Tri-City ValleyCats
- ThunderBolts Lose First Half Finale in Schaumburg - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Crushers Sweep Otters, Match 2023 Win Total Before All-Star Break - Lake Erie Crushers
- New England Swipes Series Finale from Aigles; Wins Five of Last Six - New England Knockouts
- Titans Swept by Capitales to End First Half - Ottawa Titans
- Otters Fall in Final Game Ahead of All-Star Break - Evansville Otters
- Wild Things Survive Late Scare, Go into Break 20 Games over .500 - Washington Wild Things
- Boomers Head into Break with Sweep - Schaumburg Boomers
- Y'alls Fall Short Before All-Star Break - Florence Y'alls
- Frontier League Recap - FL
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
