Y'ALLS WIN DRAMA-FILLED SERIES FINALE IN NEW JERSEY - FRONTIER DAILY ROUNDUP
WRITTEN BY: MIKE GUISTOLISE
Y'ALLS TAKE BARNBURNER SERIES FINALE VS. JACKALS
PATERSON, NJ - The Florence Y'alls came out on top of a 17-15 contest at Hinchcliffe Stadium against the New Jersey Jackals on Thursday night.
The game was filled with drama, including massive scoring innings, ejections, and lead changes. The Y'alls (23-30) struck first in the top of the first inning on an RBI groundout from 3B Brian Fuentes. New Jersey (16-37) responded with two runs in the bottom half, but the Y'alls retook the lead with two in the top of the second, including another RBI from Fuentes. RF TJ Reeves then led off the third inning with a solo shot to put Florence up 4-2. The game script turned upside down from there, with New Jersey scoring seven runs over the next two innings before surrendering seven in the fifth to the Y'alls. Florence combined for 13 runs between the fifth and the eighth innings to run their final total up to 17. The Jackals were able to score five in the final three frames but ultimately came up short 17-15. LF Stephen Hrustich led Florence in RBIs for the game with four, including a three-run home run in the fifth. RHP Cam Pferrer earned the win in relief for the Y'alls, being the only bullpen arm that did not allow a run in his appearance. RHP Darrien Williams picked up the save. RHP Ryan Velazquez took the loss for New Jersey.
The Y'alls will head back to Kentucky for their next series, as they take on the Washington Wild Things at 7:03 PM EDT on Friday. The Jackals will head up to New York for a series with the Tri-City ValleyCats, beginning on Tuesday at 6:30 PM EDT.
KNOCKOUTS FINISH SWEEP OF VALLEYCATS WITH 20-HIT NIGHT
BROCKTON, MA - The New England Knockouts once again put their bats on display on Thursday, winning 16-7 against the Tri-City ValleyCats.
The Knockouts (18-35) followed up their 22-hit performance on Wednesday with 20 hits on Thursday, completing their sweep of the ValleyCats (28-26) in historic fashion. The ValleyCats took a 1-0 in the top of the first, but four runs in the bottom of the inning put the game back in control of New England. The Knockouts continued to build their lead in the fourth inning, scoring three more times to increase their lead to 7-2. SS JR DiSarcina kept things going in the fifth with a two-run single to put the Knockout lead at 9-4. LF Jalen Garcia started a six-run sixth with a three-run home run while the Knockouts sent 11 to the plate in the inning, putting the game out of reach of Tri-City. RHP Neil Uskali earned the win for New England while LHP Ben Seiler picked up the save. LHP Alfredo Ruiz took the loss for the ValleyCats.
The Knockouts will stay at Campanelli Stadium for their next series with the Trois-Rivières Aigles. First pitch for that series opener is at 6:30 PM EDT on Friday. The ValleyCats will return home to host the New Jersey Jackals on Friday. First pitch is at 6:30 PM EDT.
SLAMMERS SWEEP DOUBLEHEADER TO TAKE SERIES
JOLIET, IL - The Joliet Slammers took both games of a doubleheader against the Schaumburg Boomers on Thursday, winning the first 5-1 and the second 3-1.
The first game at Duly Health & Care Field was in favor of the Slammers (25-29) from the get-go, with the game's first runs being driven in by All-Stars 1B Matthew Warkentin and C Drew Stengren. Warkentin and LF Liam McArthur piled on in the second inning, pushing the lead up to 5-0. The Boomers (29-25) were able to avoid the shutout with a solo home run in the top of the third, but their offense went silent from there. RHP Geno Encina went the full seven innings to pick up the win for Joliet while RHP Brendan Knoll took the loss for Schaumburg.
The second game followed a similar script but with a lower score. The Slammers again took the lead in the first, this time on an RBI base hit from 2B Antonio Valdez. The Joliet second baseman drove in another run in the third with a single through the right side to make it 2-0. SS Cal Hejza increased the Slammer lead to three in the fourth when he drove a base hit into left field that plated a run. The Boomers once again used the long ball to avoid the shutout in the seventh, but could not muster another hit in the final frame. RHP Zac Westcott was solid for the Slammers, allowing only one run on three hits for the game while punching out eight batters en route to the win. RHP Jackson Hickertt took the loss for Schaumburg.
The Slammers will head down to southern Illinois for their next series against the Gateway Grizzlies. First pitch for the series opener is on Friday at 7:30 PM EDT. The Boomers will return home to Wintrust Field to host the Windy City ThunderBolts on Friday at 7:30 PM EDT.
TITANS, AIGLES SPLIT DOUBLEHEADER
OTTAWA - The Ottawa Titans and Trois-Rivières Aigles split their doubleheader at Titan Stadium on Friday, with the Titans taking the series two games to one.
Ottawa (32-19) came out strong against the Aigles (29-23) in the first game, taking an early 3-0 lead in the first inning off a three-run homer from LF Brendan O'Donnell. Trois-Rivières got on the board in the second with a solo home run to bring their deficit down to two in the second. Both offenses went quiet until the sixth inning when the Titans cushioned their lead with RBI singles from O'Donnell and SS Christian Ibarra. The Titans bullpen finished things up to take the first game 5-1. LHP Matt Voelker earned the win in relief while RHP Matt Dallas earned the save. RHP Jesen Therrien took the loss for the Aigles.
In the second game, it was the Aigles who took the early lead with two RBI base hits in the first. LF LP Pelletier, who will represent Trois-Rivières in the All-Star game, put the lead at 3-0 with his RBI single to left in the second inning. The Titans were able to cut the score to 3-1 in the bottom of the second. Pelletier then doubled the Aigles' score with one swing in the fourth when he launched a three-run bomb down the line in left. Ottawa took two runs back in the seventh on a two-run home run and then brought the tying run to the plate with two outs. Unfortunately for them, the comeback was thwarted by the Trois-Rivières bullpen. RHP Braeden Allemann earned the win for the Aigles.
The Aigles will play the New England Knockouts next in Brockton on Friday at 6:30 PM EDT. Ottawa will continue their homestand by hosting the Québec Capitales, beginning on Friday at 6:30 PM EDT.
MINERS SHUT DOWN CRUSHERS AGAIN, TAKE SERIES
AUGUSTA, NJ - The Sussex County Miners won their series against the Lake Erie Crushers at Skylands Stadium with a 4-1 victory on Thursday.
The Miners (19-34) kept the Crushers (34-20) at bay, holding them to just two hits in the finale. Lake Erie was held to just five hits across the last two games in the series. LF Sam Linscott gave Sussex County the initial lead in the second with an RBI base hit into left field. SS Cory Acton and DH Oraj Anu went back-to-back with RBI hits in the third to push the Miner lead to 3-0. The only offense from the Crushers came in the sixth on an RBI single. Acton wiped it out with a sacrifice fly in the seventh that put the Miner lead at 4-1. RHP Robbie Hitt closed things out by striking out the side in the ninth for his fifth save of the season. RHP Kellen Brothers took the win while RHP Anthony Escobar got tagged with the loss.
The Miners are back in action on Friday when they host the New York Boulders at 7:05 PM EDT. The Crushers will return home to begin a series with the Evansville Otters. First pitch on Friday is at 7:05 PM EDT.
BOULDERS TAKE FINALE AGAINST CAPITALES
QUÉBEC CITY - The New York Boulders took down the Québec Capitales 3-1 in the series finale at Stade Canac on Thursday night.
The Boulders (31-20) remained close to the lead in the Frontier League East division with their win. New York is now tied for second with Ottawa, just one game behind the Capitales (34-19) for the top spot. Québec homered early to take a 1-0 lead in the game, but would not collect another hit until the sixth inning. The Boulders took a 2-1 lead in the third when 1B Peyton Isaacson crushed his fourth home run of the season. The game remained tight, with Québec allowing another New York run to score on a wild pitch in the seventh. The Capitales could not get through RHP Blaine Traxel, who went for eight strong innings while allowing just one run on four hits. RHP Dylan Smith mopped up in the ninth with two strikeouts to get the save. RHP Abdiel Saldana ended up with the loss.
The Boulders will travel to Augusta for their next series with the Sussex County Miners. First pitch for Friday's opener is at 7:05 PM EDT. The Capitales will head to Ottawa for their final series before the All-Star break. First pitch for the series opener on Friday is at 6:30 PM EDT.
THUNDERBOLTS WIN CLOSE GAME AGAINST GRIZZLIES
CRESTWOOD, IL - The Windy City ThunderBolts salvaged the finale against the Gateway Grizzlies on Thursday with a 2-1 victory.
The ThunderBolts (21-34) were able to squeeze out a victory in a pitchers' duel against Grizzlies (30-23) at Ozinga Field. C JJ Figueroa was able to break the scoreless tie in the fifth with a sacrifice fly that gave Windy City the lead. The Grizzlies knotted things up in the sixth, which was the only run that RHP Will Armbruester surrendered in his start. Figueroa notched another RBI in the seventh on a fielder's choice to put the Bolts back on top. The Grizzlies could only manage one hit in the final two innings, ultimately falling 2-1. LHP Caleb Riedel earned the win out of the ThunderBolt bullpen while RHP Tyler LaPorte got the save. RHP Collin Sullivan took the loss for Gateway.
The ThunderBolts will head to Schaumburg on Friday to begin a weekend series with the Boomers. First pitch for the opener is at 7:30 PM EDT. The Grizzlies will head home to host the Joliet Slammers on Friday, beginning at 7:30 PM EDT.
OTTERS OUTLAST WILD THINGS IN SERIES FINALE
WASHINGTON, PA - The Evansville Otters defeated the Washington Wild Things 5-4 at Wild Things Park on Thursday night.
The Otters (21-33) avoided the sweep with a solid comeback effort across the middle innings against Washington (35-18). The Wild Things got on the board in the first inning with a two-run home run. They were able to add on in the third with an RBI single. Evansville used the fifth inning to get back in the game, beginning with LF Randy Bednar's RBI double. Two batters later, RF Alec Olund brought the score within one with an RBI single. In the seventh, CF Gio DiGiacomo brought in two on a single to left to give the Otters a 4-3 lead. DH Logan Brown then made it 5-3 with an RBI single in the eighth. The Wild Things launched another home run to cut their deficit down to one, but RHP Michael McAvene was able to close things out in the ninth for his sixth save of the year. RHP Parker Brahms earned the win while RHP Christian James took the loss for Washington.
The Otters will face the Lake Erie Crushers in Ohio for their final series before the break. First pitch for their opener on Friday is at 7:05 PM EDT. The Wild Things will head to Florence for a weekend series with the Y'alls on Friday. First pitch is at 7:03 PM EDT.
