Southern Maryland 3, Hagerstown 2
Southern Maryland Takes 3-2 Advantage Over Hagerstown
The Blue Crabs got off to a strong start with Ian Yetsko leading the charge, going 3 for 4 at bat, including a double, and driving in a run. Anthony Brocato also made his presence felt with a pair of doubles, contributing to his team’s offensive onslaught.
Crabs pitcher Martin put on a stellar performance for Southern Maryland, allowing just one run over 7.1 innings while striking out four. His precise pitching kept Hagerstown’s bats at bay for most of the game.
Hagerstown struggled to find their rhythm, with their only run coming from an RBI by Eury Perez in the eighth inning. Despite efforts to rally late in the game, they couldn’t overcome the Blue Crabs’ commanding lead.
Defensively, Southern Maryland was solid, not allowing any errors, while Hagerstown couldn’t capitalize on opportunities to turn the tide in their favor.
The Boxcars and Blue Crabs close the series Sunday afternoon at Meritus Park.
Long Island 4, York 2
(Central Islip, N.Y., June 1, 2024) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the York Revolution 4-2 on Saturday night in the middle game of a three-game series before a past-capacity crowd of 6,390 at Fairfield Properties Ballpark.
Frank Schwindel gave the Ducks a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning with a two-run home run to right field off Revolution starter Aaron Fletcher, his team-leading ninth homer of the season. Alex McGarry added a solo homer to right in the fifth, his first longball with Long Island, to make it a 3-0 game.
York closed the gap to 3-2 in the seventh on Jacob Rhinesmith’s two-out RBI double to left off Ducks starter Stephen Woods Jr. and an error that allowed Rhinesmith to score. However, Taylor Kohlwey responded with a two-out RBI double of his own to right in the bottom of the frame, pushing Long Island’s lead back up to two.
Woods Jr. (2-2) earned the win, tossing six and two-thirds innings, yielding two runs (one earned) on six hits and a walk while striking out five. Fletcher (3-2) took the loss, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks in six innings with seven strikeouts. Sam Delaplane collected his first save of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth inning, striking out one.
McGarry led the Flock offensively with two hits, an RBI and a run. Ivan Castillo chipped in with two hits and a run.
The Ducks and Revolution wrap up their three-game series on Sunday afternoon. Game time is slated for 1:35 p.m., with the Fairfield Properties Ballpark gates opening at 12:35 (12:20 for full season ticket holders). The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive Quackers, courtesy of Romeo’s Fuel. It’s also a Sunday Family Funday, presented by Bethpage Federal Credit Union. Prior to the game, fans are invited to have a catch on the field from 12:40 to 1:00. Following the game, fans are welcome back down to the field to take part in Kids Run the Bases. Left-hander Jimmy Robbins (Ducks debut) toes the rubber for the Long Island against York righty Jon Olsen (2-0, 1.28).
Staten Island 5, Gastonia 0
It was a pitcher’s duel between this afternoon’s starters at SIUH Community Park, as the FerryHawks hosted the Gastonia Baseball Club for game two of a three game series.
The FerryHawks offense stranded three runners in the first two innings, but the FerryHawks finally capitalized in the bottom of the third. Leadoff batter Nate Scantlin hit his second triple of the season to open the home half of the inning, and he scored on a Robert Brooks double off the wall in left-center field. That was Brook’s 17th RBI this year and his 5th double.
The home half of the sixth inning started off with a Joe Dunand walk. Ben Norman, the six-hole hitter and starting left fielder, went the other way, singling to left field. That was Norman’s third base hit of the afternoon in just as many at bats. Hawks shortstop Drew Maggi then worked a walk on a 3-2 count, loading the bases. Kolby Johnson stepped in with 1 out on the inning and punched one into right field for a single, plating Joe Dunand and making it a 2-0 ball game.
In the following inning, Brooks singled with 1 out for his second hit of the game. Dunand followed that up with a base knock of his own, and a Norman walk loaded the bases for first baseman Xavier Vargas. Vargas singled past Gastonia’s diving third baseman, scoring both Brooks and Dunand, extending the FerryHawks lead 4-0.
Nate Scantlin doubled to left field to open the bottom of the eighth inning, collecting his second extra base hit of the afternoon. Right fielder Luis Castro stepped in and singled on a line drive to right field, scoring Scantlin and increasing the FerryHawks lead to 5 runs.
FerryHawks starter, southpaw Aaron Leasher, made his 7th start and earned his third win of the year. He threw six scoreless innings against the Gastonia lineup, allowing 4 hits while striking out 6 batters and issuing 6 walks.
After Aaron Leasher finished his strong outing, the FerryHawks used three relievers over the course of the last three innings of the game. First out of the bullpen was pitcher J.P. Woodward, who tossed a scoreless inning in the 7th. Former Major Leaguer, Jimmie Sherfy, was the next man up out of the bullpen for the FerryHawks. He faced the minimum three batters in the eighth and tallied 1 strikeout. Nate Griep was called out to pitch the top of the ninth and he struck out Gastonia shortstop Jack Reinheimer to end the ballgame.
The FerryHawks look to complete the sweep of Gastonia tomorrow afternoon, with the first pitch scheduled for 1:30pm at SIUH Community Park. This will not only end the series but also end the homestand for the FerryHawks, as they will be travelling to Gastonia and High Point next week.
Lebanon 9, Charleston 3
Cristian Santana and Chris Proctor combined to drive in eight runs on Saturday evening to lead the Lebanon Ironmasters (Lancaster Stormers) to a 9-3 victory over the Charleston Dirty Birds at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
The win was the eighth straight for the club when donning the Ironmasters jerseys over the past three seasons. Focusing on this season alone, it was the sixth straight win for the Stormers, who pulled to within five games of division leading York.
Lebanon jumped on starter David Lebron (1-2) in the bottom of the first inning. Nick Lucky was hit by a pitch leading off and was forced at second by Trace Loehr. Santana doubled off the wall in right, moving Loehr to third. Both runners scored when Proctor ripped a double into the right field corner.
Santana added a two-run single in the second on a bases loaded flare to right. Proctor followed with a blast off the right field wall for a long single, scoring Loehr as the Ironmasters raced ahead, 5-0. Doubles by Loehr and Santana extended the lead to six in the bottom of the fourth, and Chad Sedio belted his second homer of the season in the fifth.
Lebanon’s scoring was capped by Santana’s two-run homer onto the right field deck in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Nile Ball (4-1) carried a shutout into the sixth inning before allowing a one-out walk to Delino DeShields, who stole second and rode home on a single by Courtney Hawkins. The right-hander finished six innings, yielding two hits and two walks. He fanned eight.
Charleston scored single runs off the Lebanon bullpen in the seventh and eighth innings on a wild pitch and a second RBI single by Hawkins.
Lebanon will try for the sweep on Sunday afternoon at 3:00. Noah Bremer (2-1) will make the start for the Ironmasters against right-hander Casey Cobb (0-3). Fans may tune into the game on Blue Ridge 11 or FloBaseball, beginning with the first pitch.
NOTES: Ball tied Lancaster County native Eric Ackerman for fourth on the franchise’s all-time career wins list with 25…His 46 strikeouts on the year are second in the league…He has 333 career strikeouts for the Stormers, second all-time and 70 shy of all-time leader Nate Reed…Santana had the first 5-RBI game for the team this season…He and Proctor share the club RBI lead with 27…Proctor stole his club leading 16th base…Ted Stuka threw his fourth straight hitless inning of relief to close the night.
High Point 10, Lexington 4
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The High Point Rockers took advantage of eight walks and three Lexington Legends error to down the Legends 10-4 Saturday night in Lexington.
The game was delayed nearly an hour due to rain.
Connor Owings led the Rockers with three hits while Clayton Mehlbauer and Evan Edwards each hit home runs to support the outstanding pitching of Neil Ramirez. Ramirez allowed just two hits over his five innings of work while walking one and striking out nine. David McKay (W, 2-0) earned the win with 1.1 innings of no-hit relief. Rockers’ pitchers struck out 16 in the game.
The Rockers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Lexington starter Alex MacKinnon walked D.J. Burt and Evan Edwards to put runners on first and second. A throw to first following Ben Aklinski’s routine ground ball to short pulled Lexington first baseman Drew Jemison off the bag, allowing Burt to score from second.
The lead grew to 2-0 when Mehlbauer hit a solo homer leading off the fourth inning.
Ramirez did not allow a hit until the fifth inning when Keenan O’Brien singled. Gabe Howell followed with a single before Aldenis Sanchez lifted a high pop fly in the infield that fell untouched. The Rockers were able to retire Howell at second but O’Brien scored to cut High Point’s lead to 2-1.
Braeden Ogle came on in relief in the bottom of the sixth and after allowing a single to Osmy Gregorio, walked the bases loaded then walked a third consecutive batter to bring home the tying run. Ogle then struck out O’Brien and Howell before walking Sanchez as the Legends took a 3-2 lead.
The Rockers battled back in the top of the seventh with Edwards and Aklinski collecting one-out singles. A third consecutive single by Connor Owings scored Edwards and Aklinski scored on a fourth straight single by Colin Moran. Zander Wiel’s sac fly brought home Owings to put High Point up 5-3.
Lexington tallied a run in the bottom of the seventh as Payton Robertson reached on an error, stole second and scored on a ground out by Matt Bottcher.
High Point received a pair of insurance runs in the eighth when Edwards unloaded a two-run homer with Burt aboard to put the Rockers up 7-4. High Point added three more runs in the ninth, taking advantage of a pair of errors and a wild pitch to increase their lead to 10-4.
Ryan Meisinger struck out the side in the eighth inning while Jameson McGrane fanned two of the three hitters he faced in the ninth.
The Rockers trail Gastonia by two games in the race for the first half South Division title. Gastonia (22-12) lost a 5-0 decision at Staten Island on Saturday.
The fourth and final game of the series is slated for a 2 p.m. start on Sunday at Legends Field.