AtL Lancaster Stormers

Somerset Puts One In The Hopper

Published on August 10, 2011 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


Norris Hopper did just about everything a ballplayer can do on Wednesday evening.

The Somerset center fielder hit a three-run homer, bunted home another run, made a running shoestring catch and doubled a runner off first base.

All were critical as the Patriots defeated the Lancaster Barnstormers, 4-3, at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Lancaster's lead over York in the second half was cut back to one-half game.

The Barnstormers grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth on a two-out RBI single by Brandon Jones that brought Tommy Everidge across the plate. Everidge had reached on his league-leading 29th double of the season.

John Halama faced only two batters over the minimum heading into the fifth inning, but Justin Huber grounded his first pitch of the frame into left field for a single. John Pachot, the Patriots' 36-year old catcher, laid a perfect bunt down the third base line for a second hit, bringing up Hopper. The former Cincinnati Red failed on two bunt attempts before slicing an 0-2 pitch just over the wall and around the pole in the right field corner for only the fifth home run in 4,898 at bats in his pro career.

Lancaster spent the rest of the night chasing the Somerset rabbit. The Barnstormers jumped closer in the bottom of the fifth inning as Matt Tupman crushed a one-out homer to right.

Again, Hopper came to the forefront. Halama (4-4) had two outs and no one aboard in the top of the sixth when Huber flared a single into right center. Pachot followed with a liner toward the alley in right center. Jones got over and kept the ball from getting to the wall but dropped it for a split second. Huber took advantage of the opportunity and bolted to third. Hopper pushed a bunt to Everidge and beat the throw back to Gilberto Mejia at the bag as Huber scored the fourth Somerset run.

Halama did not allow another hit in the complete game effort.

Lancaster put together threats in every remaining inning. Everidge walked to lead off the sixth and took second immediately on a wild pitch, but starter Jim Magrane (1-1) got three straight fly ball outs to end the inning.

Tupman and Mejia picked up back-to-back walks with two outs in the seventh, and reliever Ron Villone fell behind Adam Calderone at 3-0. Villone roared back to strike out the Lancaster left fielder to preserve the two-run edge.

With runners at first and third and two outs in the eighth, the Barnstormers went to Matt Watson as a pinch hitter. He came through with an RBI single, scoring Jones, but Wayne Lydon grounded to second with the Barnstormers still a run down.

Tupman singled to right to open the ninth. Mejia, who was 2-for-3 on the night, successfully bunted him to second. Ryan Houston got Calderone to foul out and Everidge to ground to short to close out the night for his first save.

The rubber game of the series will be played on Thursday evening at 7:00. Right-handers Derell McCall (4-5) and Matt Wright (3-8) will square off. The game will be aired on Fox Sports Radio, 1490, WLPA and streamed live on sportsjuice.com and ibnsports.com.

NOTES: Everidge's double stretched his hitting streak to 14 games (22-53, .415)...Mejia has hit safely in 12 straight (26-52, .500)...Everidge scored for the 11th straight game, a club record...Tupman is batting .366 in his last 11 games...Halama's complete game was his second...Lancaster leads the season series over Somerset, 9-6.

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Atlantic League Stories from August 10, 2011


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