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FL Lake Erie Crushers

Lake Erie Crushers Split Double Header

August 30, 2018 - Frontier League (FL)
Lake Erie Crushers News Release


AVON, Ohio - The Lake Erie Crushers, presented by Mercy Health, saw their playoff hopes take a hit on Thursday evening at Sprenger Stadium, as they split a double header with the Windy City Thunderbolts, dropping game one 3-2, and won game two, 3-0.

The split for the Crushers (47-46) puts them two games out of the final wild card spot with three games to play, while the Thunderbolts (40-53) finished the year with four wins in six games at Sprenger Stadium.

Lake Erie dropped a heartbreaker in game one. The pitching was fantastic, but they stranded 11 base runners and fell in extra innings.

The Crushers fired the first shot in the bottom of the first inning. Aaron Hill walked to start the inning, before Cody Lenehan and Zach Racusin were both hit by a pitch to load the bases. Terry McClure followed with a groundout to score Hill, giving the Crushers a 1-0 lead.

Windy City tied the game in the top of the fifth. They had runners at second and third with two outs, when Omar Obregon belted a single to left to score Larry Balkwill.

In the top of the ninth, the Thunderbolts scored twice with two outs to take a 3-1 lead. The Crushers were a strike away from ending the inning, when Logan Lombana (0-1) delivered a wild pitch, which allowed Axel Johnson to score. Moments later, Blair Beck delivered a two out RBI single to right.

Lake Erie scored one final run in the bottom of the ninth. Hill delivered a RBI single to center to score Doug Trimble.

Jack Andersen (3-5) struck out six batters over two scoreless innings of work to snag the win, while Devin Raftery (15) scored the save. Lombana took the loss after allowing a pair of runs, only one earned in one inning of relief.

Game Two

Lake Erie took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Hill reached on an infield single, and a two base throwing error on the play allowed him to reach third. Moments later, Racusin drove him home with a RBI single through the left side of the infield.

The Crushers added two more in the bottom of the sixth inning. Joel McKeithan walked with one out, then came around to score on Lenehan's double down the line in right. Derek Perry followed with a run scoring single to center to give the Crushers a 3-0 lead.

Justin Sinibaldi (3-4) pitched very will and picked up the win, after tossing six scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and struck out five. Seth Lucio (2) tossed a scoreless seventh to get the save.

The Crushers will begin their final three game series of the season at Sprenger Healthcare Stadium on Friday night against the Washington Wild Things. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 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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