FL Evansville Otters

Otters Score Four in Ninth for 5-3 Win, Sweep Wild Things

May 21, 2015 - Frontier League (FL)
Evansville Otters News Release


Ronnie Richardson Batting for the Evansville Otters
Ronnie Richardson Batting for the Evansville Otters
(Evansville Otters)

WASHINGTON, PA- For eight innings the Evansville Otters bats were mostly silent, but in the top of the ninth inning the bats awoke on Ronnie Richardson's two-run two out triple to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 3-3 tie. Just three pitches later John Schultz blasted the Otters into the lead with an opposite field home run and the Otters defeated the Washington Wild Things (1-5) 5-3 to complete the comeback and the sweep to improve to 4-2 on the season.

The only reason the Otters were in a position for a comeback was because of the stellar pitching of Will Oliver. Oliver, the starting pitcher for the Otters, made just two mistakes on the night. The first one occurred in the bottom of the first inning when Daniel Poma tripled down the left field line and was driven home on a sacrifice fly two batters later for a 1-0 Wild Things lead.

An immediate response followed from the Otters thanks to a Kurt Wertz Jr. double into the left-center field gap. Jaime Del Valle came to plate next and muscled a single over the shortstop's head for his first RBI of the season, knotting the game at 1-1.

However, the second mistake of the night from Will Oliver came in the bottom of the third inning and gave the Wild Things the lead. David Popkins, who had homered in the first game of the series, took a breaking ball from Oliver with a runner on base and placed it over the video board in right to push the Wild Things ahead for the second time in the game.

Oliver though did not allow the two mistakes to deter him. He came back in the fourth inning to strike out the side and really settled into a groove. After allowing a single to lead off the sixth inning, he proceeded to strike out the side again, this time setting down the two, three, and four batters in fashion on a breaking ball, a fastball and a slider. He capped off his eleven-strikeout evening by fanning the final batter he faced in the seventh.

Thanks to the arms of Evan Mott and Blake Monar in the eighth inning, the Otters still only had to make up two runs in the ninth when they finally get their bats going.

Josh Allen worked a walk off of reliever Steve Messner, and after a strikeout to Del Valle, Cory Urquhart did the same, putting the tying run on the base path. With Ronnie Richardson due up next, the Wild Things elected to go with the percentages and inserted Pat Butler to face Richardson.

Richardson wasted no time, taking the first pitch fastball from Butler and slicing it down the right field line and into the corner. Andy McCauley, the manager and third base coach for the Otters, waved Urquhart around third and the throw from right was up the line, allowing him to come on home with the tying run. That set the stage for Schultz, who had homered the night before, and the lefty from Pennsylvania went opposite field and sailed one over the left field wall for the Otters 5-3 lead.

Edgar Lopez made it a perfect three saves in as many opportunities with a relatively easy ninth inning. Blake Monar, who pitched to one batter in the eighth and struck him out, picked up the win, his second of the series and the second of the season to up his record to 2-0.

Pat Butler was saddled with the loss for the Wild Things and is now 0-3 on the season. Will Oliver, despite the impressive performance, received a no decision while striking out eleven and walking two in seven innings of work.

The Otters head back home to Bosse Field for a three game series starting Friday night against the Florence Freedom. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 CDT and you can catch all of the action on WUEV 91.5 FM or on our website with the pregame show starting at 6:15 FM.

Fans can purchase tickets by calling the team's front office at 812.435.8686 or online at EvansvilleOtters.com. For all of the latest information on the Otters, log on to EvansvilleOtters.com or follow the team's twitter account @EvilleOtters.

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Ronnie Richardson Batting for the Evansville Otters
Ronnie Richardson Batting for the Evansville Otters
   



Frontier League Stories from May 21, 2015


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