CRUSHERS SWEEP DOUBLEHEADER AGAINST SLAMMERS - FRONTIER DAILY ROUNDUP

WRITTEN BY: MIKE GUISTOLISE

CRUSHERS SWEEP BOTH GAMES OF DOUBLEHEADER, TAKE SERIES IN JOLIET

JOLIET, IL - The Lake Erie Crushers took both games of a doubleheader against the Joliet Slammers on Sunday afternoon at Duly Health & Care Field.

In the first game, the Crushers (13-8) came from behind to beat the Slammers (8-13). Joliet was able to score in the first and third innings to establish a 2-0 lead. DH Vincent Byrd Jr. got things started for the visiting side, slapping an RBI double into the left-center field gap to cut the Slammer lead in half. A Joliet error in the infield later allowed Byrd to cross the plate and tie the game at 2-2. The Crushers' offense unlocked in the fifth, scoring three runs on three consecutive plays, including another RBI base knock from Byrd. RHP Trevor Kuncl was able to close things out in the seventh for his fifth save of the year, allowing only one hit. RHP Jack Eisenbarger earned the 5-2 win for Lake Erie while RHP Dwayne Marshall took the loss.

In the second game, the Crushers got rolling early and scored all four of their runs in the first two innings. RF Jack Harris got things started for Lake Erie, lining a single into center field for an RBI. In the second, the Crushers made great use of the walks they were issued, scoring three runs in the frame. 1B Scout Knotts pushed the lead to 4-0 with his two-run single in the inning, pushing his season total to 15. The Slammers were able to get one run back in the bottom of the second, but could not score again until the seventh. Lake Erie once again shut their hosts down, walking away with the 4-2 victory. LHP Matt Valin got the win in the second game while RHP Andrew Dietz got the loss.

The Lake Erie Crushers will travel to Evansville for their next series against the Otters, beginning on Tuesday. First pitch for that game is scheduled at 7:35 PM EDT. The Joliet Slammers will continue their homestand by hosting the Trois-Rivières Aigles on Tuesday, with that game beginning at 7:35 PM EDT.

MINERS SHUT OUT JACKALS TO SECURE SERIES

AUGUSTA, NJ - The Sussex County Miners defeated the New Jersey Jackals 7-0 at Skylands Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

After being shut out on Friday, the Miners (10-11) returned the favor by blanking the Jackals (9-11) on Sunday. Sussex County only allowed two hits in the contest while they scored in all four final innings to take the series. The first half of the game was a true pitching duel, with both sides exchanging scoreless innings heading into the bottom of the fifth. The Miners were able to break the scoring draught with five singles and a sacrifice fly to take a 4-0 lead. C Kyle Richards, who had one of those RBI singles in the fifth, extended the Sussex County lead to 6-0 with a home run in the sixth. CF Alec Sayre put the finishing touches on the scoring with his second RBI single in the eighth to put the score at 7-0. RHP Tyler Thornton was excellent in his six-inning start, allowing only two hits and no runs while RHP Eston Stull picked up a three-inning save, not allowing a hit while striking out three. RHP Austin Parsley took the loss for New Jersey.

The Miners will play again on Tuesday, with a 10:30 AM EDT start in New York against the Boulders. The Jackals will begin their next series at home against the Tri-City ValleyCats on Tuesday at 6:35 PM EDT.

THUNDERBOLTS SALVAGE FINALE AGAINST TITANS 

OTTAWA, CAN. - The Windy City ThunderBolts avoided the sweep by taking the final game against the Ottawa Titans 4-2 on Sunday afternoon.

The ThunderBolts (9-13) were able to take the lead in the eighth inning to beat the Titans (9-11) at Titan Stadium. DH Christian Kuzemka was able to give the ThunderBolts an early lead in the third inning on the strength of his two-run single. Ottawa was able to knot things up in the fourth at 2-2 after an RBI single and a sacrifice fly. In the eighth, RF Kingston Linkiak was able to break Windy City's scoring draught with a go-ahead two-run blast to left. The Titans were able to bring the winning run to the plate, but RHP Greg Duncan closed the game out for his second save of the year. LHP Jack Mahoney earned the win for the Bolts while RHP Matt Dallas took the loss for Ottawa.

The ThunderBolts will continue their long road trip when they travel to Washington to face the Wild Things on Tuesday. First pitch for the series opener is scheduled for 7:05 PM EDT. The Titans will host the Gateway Grizzlies on Tuesday, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:30 PM EDT.

BOOMERS OFFENSE SCORCHES AIGLES

TROIS-RIVIERES, CAN. - The Schaumburg Boomers defeated the Trois-Rivières Aigles on Sunday afternoon by a final score of 14-6. 

The Boomers (14-6) secured the series with their win at Stade Quillorama, and have now won four of their last five games. Trois-Rivières (11-9) put Schaumburg on the defensive to start, establishing a 4-0 lead in the first inning. The Boomers responded with six runs in the second, including a three-run bomb from 2B Alec Craig that gave Schaumburg a 6-4 lead. The visitors continued to produce at the plate, scoring three more times in the fifth and then putting up five runs in the ninth. Craig and C Evan Orzech combined four eight RBIs in the game, as RHP Aaron Glickstein got this first winning decision of the year. RHP Logan Hofmann took the loss for Trois-Rivières.

The Boomers will return to Wintrust Field to begin a series with the Florence Y'alls on Tuesday at 7:30 PM EDT. The Aigles will travel to Joliet for a series with the Slammers. First pitch for that series opener on Tuesday is scheduled for 7:35 PM EDT.

GRIZZLIES CRUSH OTTERS FOR SERIES WIN

SAUGET, IL - The Gateway Grizzlies closed out their series with the Evansville Otters with a convincing 16-2 victory at Grizzlies Ballpark.

After losing Saturday's game in embarrassing fashion, the Grizzlies (14-7) flipped the script to blow out the Otters (6-15) and take the series in front of nearly 1,600 fans on Sunday. Both sides traded homers in the game's first inning, with the lead being snatched by Evansville in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly. Gateway came out swinging in the bottom half, taking the lead back on a big three-run homer from CF Cole Brannen. The offense continued to flourish in the fifth and sixth innings, with the Grizzlies posting six runs in both innings to bury Evansville. Brannen and 3B DJ Stewart both homered multiple times while combining for 11 of Gateway's 16 RBIs. Tyler Cornett allowed just two runs in his six-inning start for the Grizzlies, good enough to win his third game of the season. RHP Zach Smith took the loss for the Otters.

The Grizzlies will travel to Ottawa to begin a series with the Titans on Tuesday. First pitch is at 6:30 PM EDT. The Otters will return home to host the Crushers on Tuesday. First pitch for that game is scheduled for 7:35 PM EDT.

CAPITALES HAND BOULDERS FIRST SERIES LOSS

PONOMA, NY - The Québec Capitales defeated the New York Boulders 5-2 on Sunday afternoon at Clover Stadium.

Québec (9-11) handed the Boulders (14-5) their first series loss of the season after beating them in back-to-back games over the weekend. New York was able to take a 1-0 lead in the second inning, carrying it to the fifth inning. DH Marc-Antoine Lebreux was able to tie the game on a sacrifice bunt, also reaching base on an error. After SS Kyle Crowl gave the Capitales a 2-1 lead to close out the fifth, Lebreux would bring home another run on an RBI groundout in the sixth to extend the Québec lead to 3-1. Lebreux was able to come through again in the eighth when his ground-rule double brought in two more runs to pad the lead. New York would inch closer with a late home run, but the Capitales would close the game out in the ninth. LHP Harley Gollert earned the win for Québec while RHP Tommy Hughes took the loss for New York.

The Capitales will play the New England Knockouts on the road for their next series, beginning on Tuesday at 6:30 PM EDT. The Boulders will play a Tuesday matinee with the Sussex County Miners next, beginning at 10:30 AM EDT.

BRITO PITCHES COMPLETE GAME AS KNOCKOUTS DEFEAT VALLEYCATS

TROY, NY - The New England Knockouts beat the Tri-City ValleyCats 6-2 at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium on Sunday afternoon. 

The Knockouts (6-14) got a complete-game effort from their starting pitcher Richard Brito to take down the ValleyCats (10-11) on the road. Tri-City scored what would turn out to be their only two runs in the second inning to briefly take a 2-0 lead. The Knockouts would answer with six unanswered runs, beginning with a solo shot in the fourth from C Brady West. SS JR DiSarcina, DH John Cristino, and LF Mark Herron Jr. would also homer in the game, solidifying the New England victory. Brito was stupendous on the defensive end, allowing only two runs on four hits in his complete game; he also tallied seven strikeouts in his third win of 2024. RHP Arlo Marynczak took the loss for Tri-City.

The Knockouts will travel back to Brockton to host the Québec Capitales on Tuesday at 6:30 PM EDT. The ValleyCats will play their next series against the New Jersey Jackals in New Jersey, beginning on Tuesday at 6:35 PM EDT.

Y'ALLS CAN'T COMPLETE COMEBACK, FALL TO WASHINGTON IN FINALE

FLORENCE, KY - The Washington Wild Things held on for a 6-5 win against the Florence Y'alls at Thomas More Stadium on Sunday.

The Wild Things (14-6) were able to strand the tying run on third base in the ninth to escape with a narrow series victory against Florence (7-12). The Y'alls took a big lead in the first inning on the strength of a three-run home run and an RBI single. CF Caleb McNeely was able to cut the Florence lead in half with a two-run single in the fifth, allowing DH Quincy Latimore's two-run homer to draw the score even at 4-4. RF Robert Chakya and SS Carson Clowers hit RBI singles in the seventh and eighth innings, respectfully, to give the Wild Things a 6-4 lead. The Y'alls would score one more run in the ninth to come within a run, but RHP Gyeongju Kim was able to strike out the final batter to pick up his sixth save of the season. RHP Dariel Fregio earned his third win in a row for Washington while LHP Gage Bihm took the loss for Florence.

The Y'alls will travel to Schaumburg next to face the Boomers on Tuesday, with a 7:30 PM EDT first pitch. The Wild Things will return home to begin a series with the Windy City ThunderBolts. First pitch for the opener on Tuesday is set for 7:05 PM EDT.