AtL Lancaster Stormers

Lancaster Falls One Hit Short Of Series Sweep

Published on September 3, 2015 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


The Lancaster Barnstormers were one hit short of a miraculous rally in the bottom of the ninth on Thursday evening at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

With three men already home and two more in scoring position, Cody Eppley retired Kent Matthes on a fly ball to center for the final out, barely holding onto a 7-6 win as Southern Maryland avoided a sweep of a three-game series.

Combined with York's 4-3 loss to Camden, the defeat kept the Barnstormers 4 1/2 games ahead of the Revolution in the Freedom Division race.

Southern Maryland broke ahead of the Barnstormers with an unearned run in the top of the seventh. Casey Frawley led off with a single to left off Joe Gardner (8-5). Keith Castillo followed with a bunt to third baseman Anderson Feliz. Feliz saw a chance for a force play at second but threw the ball behind shortstop Lance Zawadzki, enabling Frawley to take third. He scored when Antone DeJesus grounded into a double play.

In the top of the ninth, the Blue Crabs appeared to put the game away. Castillo drilled a one-out triple to the gap in left center. DeJesus slapped a grounder to first baseman Brian Cavazos-Galvez. After looking Castillo back to third, Cavazos-Galvez headed to first for the out on DeJesus. En route, he dropped the ball and could not recover, allowing DeJesus to escape. Fred Lewis banged a single into right to stretch the lead to 5-3. Casey Stevenson walked to fill the bases, and DeJesus scored on a Blake Hassebrock wild pitch. Tyler Bortnick, playing in his first game back from the Seattle Mariners organization, made a diving stop of a Zach Wilson grounder up the middle but failed to nab Lewis off third, again loading the bases. Craig Maddox, who had four hits earlier in the game, struck out against Al Yevoli for the second out. Bryant Nelson produced a key insurance run with a single through the left side, scoring Lewis.

It was just enough.

The Barnstormers roared back in the bottom of the ninth. Eppley walked Cavazos-Galvez on four pitches. Lance Zawadzki followed with a long double off the vinyl in right center, scoring the run. After Bortnick struck out, Charlie Cutler added to the rally with a single to center. Eppley struck out Feliz looking for the second out. Jerry Owens and Zach Collier kept the hopes alive with consecutive RBI singles to narrow the lead to 7-6.

Matthes battled to 3-2, an at bat during which Collier stole second. The Lancaster DH, who had three hits on the night, then lofted his game ending fly to DeJesus.

Justin Berg (3-2) threw six innings in a spot start for Southern Maryland. Casey Stevenson belted the game's only homer, a solo shot in the third.

Lancaster will send Nate Reed (6-7) to the hill on Friday evening as the Camden Riversharks come to town. He will be opposed by right-hander Steve Garrison (2-4). It is Italian Heritage Night at Clipper Magazine Stadium, complete with a Garden Gnome giveaway, a Frank Sinatra impersonator and a helicopter drop of empty Turkey Hill gelato containers. For more details, go to www.lancasterbarnstormers.com.

Fans may tune into 1390-AM, WLAN; rumba1390.com or the I Heart Radio cell phone app, beginning at 6:45.

NOTES: Zawadzki's double in the ninth was Lancaster's first extra base hit in 16 innings...Al Yevoli retired the first batter he faced for the 17th straight appearance...Lancaster reached double figures in hits for the first time in the last five games...Cavazos-Galvez went his 24th straight game without a homer...Zawadzki has gone 16...The two remain in a three-way tie for the league home run lead with several others within two...The club has only slugged two homers in the last 10 games.

Check out the Lancaster Stormers Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Atlantic League Stories from September 3, 2015


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.

OurSports Central