VALLEYCATS TAKE SECOND GAME FROM TITANS - FRONTIER DAILY ROUNDUP
WRITTEN BY: MIKE GUISTOLISE
VALLEYCATS SCORE SEVEN STRAIGHT TO TOPPLE TITANS
TROY, NY - The Tri-City Valleycats defeated the Ottawa Titans 10-3 on Wednesday to even the series at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.
Tri-City (7-10) has won three of its last four contests after their win against the Titans (7-9). The ValleyCats opened the scoring with an RBI single in the first from 1B Lamar Briggs. In the fourth, the Tri-City was able to extend its lead to 3-0 after 3B Robbie Merced drove in two runs with a triple to the right-center field gap. The Titans would fight their way back, drawing the score even at 3-3 with a three-run fifth inning, but the ValleyCats answered with four runs in the bottom of the frame, including a three-run blast from DH Ian Walters. Tri-City would cushion their lead with three more runs late, ultimately coming away with the victory. RHP Chas Cywin earned his first win of 2024 while LHP Grant Larson took the loss.
The Titans and ValleyCats will finish up their series with a matinee rubber match in New York on Thursday. First pitch is at 10:00 AM EDT.
BOULDERS HOMER TWICE IN ROUT OF MINERS
PONOMA, NY - The New York Boulders took down the Sussex County Miners 9-3 at Clover Stadium on Thursday.
The Boulders (12-4) have now scored seven or more runs in 15 games this season. The Miners (8-9) got on the board first with an RBI single in the first inning, but the Boulders responded with authority: the New York bats woke up in the second when 2B Nick Gotta crushed a three-run bomb to give the Boulders a 3-1 lead. New York was able to add to its lead in the third, with RBIs from DH Peyton Isaacson and CF Casey Dana. Dana added another RBI in the seventh as the Miners struggled to keep up. LF David Vinsky put the game away with a two-run home run in the eighth to put the score at 9-3. LHP Mitchell Senger was excellent in the win for New York, surrendering only two runs in his seven innings of work while adding six strikeouts. LHP Mike Reagan took the loss for Sussex County.
The Boulders and Miners will face off for a rubber match on Thursday, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:00 PM EDT.
JACKALS EVEN SERIES WITH KNOCKOUTS
PATERSON, NJ - The New Jersey Jackals scored four runs late to defeat the New England Knockouts 7-5 on Wednesday afternoon.
The Jackals (7-9) evened the series with the Knockouts (5-11) with their victory at Hinchliffe Stadium. New England cranked home runs in back-to-back innings to get the scoring started and establish an early 2-0 lead. The Jackals responded with an energetic first score in the second inning when SS Nilo Rijo stole home with two outs to cut the deficit in half. New Jersey then evened the score on an RBI single from RF Camden Williamson, who was thrown out trying to stretch his single into a double. After New England reestablished its lead at 4-2, the Jackals scored four straight runs, including back-to-back bases-loaded walks in the seventh to take a 7-4 lead. New England scored once in the ninth but was unable to manage a comeback. RHP Ryan Velazquez earned the win out of the bullpen while RHP Chris Mormile earned the save. RHP Heisell Baro took the loss for the Knockouts.
The Jackals and Knockouts will play the rubber match of their series on Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM EDT.
ERRORS SINK Y'ALLS, CRUSHERS CAPTURE SERIES
AVON, OH - The Lake Erie Crushers took down the Florence Y'alls 6-4 on Wednesday at Crusher Stadium
The Y'alls (5-10) tallied four total errors as the Crushers (11-6) came away with the series victory in Ohio. Lake Erie came up to bat in the first inning, already down a run when 1B Alfredo Gonzalez was able to put the ball in play and drive in a run, thanks to an error by Florence's third baseman. The Y'alls were able to retake a 2-1 lead in the second and carry it into the fifth before the Crushers' offense came to life. DH Burle Dixon retook the lead for Lake Erie when he tattooed a ball over the right field wall for a two-run home run, making it 3-2. After adding another run on a passed ball, the Crushers extended their lead to three on an RBI double by SS Jarrod Watkins in the seventh. Florence would strike back in the eighth to cut it to 5-4, but another insurance run from Lake Erie was enough to seal its victory. LHP Gage Bihm got the losing decision out of the bullpen for Florence, while LHP Darrien Ragins earned his first win of the season. RHP Trevor Kuncl got the last four outs of the game to earn his fourth save of the year.
The Crushers and Y'alls will play their series finale on Thursday at 6:35 PM EDT.
AIGLES' LATE SCORE TOO MUCH FOR WINDY CITY
TROIS-RIVIERES, CAN. - The Trois-Rivières Aigles beat the Windy City ThunderBolts 4-2 at Stade Quillorama on Wednesday night.
The Aigles (9-7) are now just three games behind first in the Frontier League East division. Trois-Rivières' SS James Smibert opened the scoring against the ThunderBolts (8-10) in the second inning with an RBI single. Windy City answered in the third to tie the game at 1-1. The Aigles would retake the lead behind the power of a solo homer from 3B Luis Curbelo, carrying a 2-1 into the seventh inning. After the Bolts tied the game once more, CF Raphael Gladu was able to score two runs on a single to give the Aigles a 4-2 lead; after advancing to second on the play, he was thrown out trying to get to third. LHP Harry Rutkowski got the win out of the bullpen for Trois-Rivières, while RHP Kosei Naito collected his first save of the season. LHP Buddie Pindel took the loss after pitching all eight innings for Windy City.
The Aigles will look for the series sweep in the finale on Thursday. Their final game against Windy City is set to start at 7:05 PM EDT.
MILAZZO'S HOMER IN THE 10TH GIVES BOOMERS WILD WIN IN QUEBEC
QUEBEC, CAN. - The Schaumburg Boomers took the middle game of their three-game set with the Québec Capitales by a final score of 8-7.
The Boomers (11-5) were able to leave the tying run left stranded on third base, as they beat the Capitales (8-9) in 10 innings. CF Chase Dawson gave Schaumburg the early lead with an RBI double in the top of the first inning. The game was silent until the fifth inning when Québec was finally able to break through LHP Cole Cook to tie the game on a sacrifice fly. The Boomers were able to retake the lead in the eighth on a two-run single from 3B Seth Gray; Dawson also added a run in the inning, making it 4-1 Boomers. The Capitales responded with a five-run rally to take a 6-4 lead headed into the ninth. Back-to-back RBI singles tied the game in the top of the ninth and forced extra innings for the second consecutive night. In the top of the 10th, DH Brett Milazzo led the inning off with a two-run shot to right, giving the Boomers an 8-6 lead. Québec would score one in response, but could not attain the comeback. RHP Matt Helwig got the win for the Boomers out of the bullpen, with RHP Dylan Stutsman getting the save. RHP Thibault Mercadier ended up with the loss for the Capitales.
The Boomers will look to take the series at Stade Canac against the Capitales on Thursday. First pitch for the series finale is scheduled for 7:05 PM EDT.
WASHINGTON SCORES FOUR IN EXTRA INNINGS TO BEAT OTTERS
EVANSVILLE, IN - The Washington Wild Things defeated the Evansville Otters 6-2 in 10 innings on Wednesday evening.
The Wild Things (11-5) remain tied in the Frontier League West division with Scaumburg after their win over the Otters (5-12). This game was limited offensively, with both teams shutting each other out until the seventh inning. 2B Evan Berkey got the Wild Things on the board with one out in the seventh when he crushed a two-run homer to left, his first of the year. The Otters were able to tie the game in the ninth, thanks to an error by Washington that allowed the inning to continue with two outs. With the score tied at 2-2, the Wild Things took a 3-2 lead on an error that allowed DH Tyreque Reed to reach base. CF Caleb McNeely then followed and sealed the game with a three-run home run to push the lead to 6-2. RHP Gyeongju Kim got the win for Washington while RHP Michael McAvene took the loss for Evansville.
The Wild Things and Otters will play the final game of their series on Thursday at Bosse Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:35 PM EDT.
GRIZZLIES WIN FOURTH STRAIGHT
SAUGET, IL - The Gateway Grizzlies earned the series victory against the Joliet Slammers, with a 5-3 victory on Wednesday evening.
The Grizzlies (11-6) were led by their starting pitcher Deylen Miley, who struck out a career-high 11 batters while only allowing two runs for the win. OF Kevin Krause gave Gateway a jolt in the first inning, lining a two-run home run down the left-field line to take an early lead against the Slammers (7-10). Krause added two more RBIs in the third, with a two-run double to give the Grizzlies a 4-0 advantage. Joliet would eventually cut the lead in half after the sixth, but a wild pitch would plate another Gateway run to go up 5-2. The Grizzlies would close the game out in the ninth, with RHP Lukas Veinbergs' fifth save of the season sealing the 5-3 win. RHP Jake Armstrong got the losing decision for Joliet.
The Grizzlies will look to complete the series sweep against the Slammers on Thursday. First pitch at Grizzlies Ballpark is scheduled for 7:30 PM EDT.
