FL Lake Erie Crushers

Lake Erie Crushers D. Traverse City

Published on June 24, 2017 under Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release


AVON, Ohio -- The Lake Erie Crushers, presented by Mercy, used a pair of homeruns from Connor Oliver and seven scoreless innings from Juan Caballero to score a 7-1 victory over the Traverse City Beach Bums at Sprenger Health Care Stadium on Saturday night.

The win for the Crushers (16-22) marks the first time they've won back-to-back games in nearly two weeks, while the loss for the Beach Bums (16-21) was their sixth in their last seven games.

Lake Erie's offense ignited quickly, scoring three times on three hits in the bottom of the first inning. L.J. Kalawaia started the fire with a double down the line in left, and scored on the very next pitch as Jordan Dean belted a run scoring single to center. Brandon Murray followed with a seven pitch free pass, before Kramer Champlin (4-2) retired the next two batters. Austin O'Brien followed with a RBI single through the left side to score Dean. On the play, Murray came around to score as well on an errant throw from Traverse City catcher Kendall Patrick.

The Crushers used the long ball to add to their advantage in the bottom of the fourth. Connor Oliver deposited Champlin's 1-2 pitch over the wall in right center field, his fourth homer of the season and Lake Erie's third of the series to give the Crushers a 4-0 lead.

Oliver went deep again as the Crushers scored three times in the home half of the eighth. O'Brien started the inning with a single before Oliver followed with a two-run blast to right, his second of the night and fifth of the season. Parker Norris walked later in the inning and scored on Kalawaia's RBI triple to right.

Through the first eight innings of the contest, the Beach Bums never advanced a runner past first base, before they put a two out rally together to wreck the shutout in the ninth. Steven Patterson doubled to center and scored on Will Kengor's RBI single.

Caballero (1-1) pitched extremely well, tossing seven scoreless innings and allowed just two hits while striking out six along the way to score the victory. Champlin took the loss for the Beach Bums after allowing four runs, three earned on six hits over four innings.

Eight out of the starting nine hit safely at least once for the Crushers while Kalawaia, O'Brien and Oliver paced the Crushers with two hits each.

The Crushers will finish their three-game series with the Traverse City Beach Bums at Sprenger Health Care Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Left-hander Connor Reed (1-5, 5.13) will make the start for the Crushers and the Beach Bums will counter with right-hander Matt Williams (0-0, 0.00). The first pitch is scheduled for 2:05 PM.

The Lake Erie Crushers, the 2009 Frontier League Champions, and 2011 Frontier League Organization of the year, play ball at Sprenger Health Care Stadium, a 5,000 capacity stadium located in Avon, Ohio. The Frontier League is an independent baseball league with 12 teams operating throughout the Midwest. 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 June 24, 2017


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