SAL1 Jersey Shore BlueClaws

Hickory edges Lakewood 2-1, forces Game Three Saturday

Published on September 10, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Jersey Shore BlueClaws News Release


LAKEWOOD, NJ - Zach Zaneski brought in the go-ahead run in the tenth on a fielder's choice groundout, and the Crawdads hung on for a 2-1 win in Game Two of the Northern Division Championship Series Friday night.

With the series now even at a game apiece, the BlueClaws will face elimination from the postseason for the first time in franchise history Saturday night.

Zaneski stepped to the plate against Mike McGuire (0-1) with runners on first and third and one out, and hit a high chopper to short that Alan Schoenberger flipped to Keoni Ruth covering second. Ruth couldn't get the relay on to first however, and Hickory took a 2-1 lead.

Lakewood put runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the tenth against Joe Ortiz (1-0), but Sebastian Valle grounded into a 5-5-3 game-ending double play.

Each team exchanged runs in the first, then were held scoreless until the tenth. Brody Colvin held Hickory to three hits and a run through five, while Robert Erlin matched him letting up just two hits and a run through five. Erlin retired the last twelve batters in a row that he faced, striking out five in a row.

Eight BlueClaws struck out in a row from the fourth to the end of the sixth, and Lakewood hitters struck out eighteen times total. The Claws also went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position stranding nine, while Hickory went 1-for-11 stranding nine as well.

The Claws had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the seventh with runners on second and third and no outs, but Stephen Batts, Anthony Hewitt, and Alan Schoenberger all struck out swinging to end the threat.

Hickory scored first in the opening inning against Colvin. Travis Adair drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and Leury Garcia sacrificed him to third. Jared Prince then grounded out to first to plate the run.

Lakewood came right back in the bottom half against Robert Erlin. Keoni Ruth singled with one out, Jonathan Singleton followed with a base hit of his own, and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Sebastian Valle walked, and Leandro Castro grounded into a fielder's choice to tie the game at one.

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South Atlantic League Stories from September 10, 2010


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