Antonini Shuts Down ‘Stormers.

Lefty K’s 10 in Sunday Matinee

For the Lancaster Barnstormers, the final game before Monday’s head-to-head meeting with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs to determine a first half division title, may have been the calm before the storm.

Mike Antonini struck out 10 Lancaster hitters in five innings on Sunday afternoon, pitching the Somerset Patriots to a 6-1 victory in the finale of a four-game series.

Despite the loss, the Barnstormers remained one game ahead of the York Revolution in the Freedom Division’s second half chase.

Antonini (1-0) limited the Barnstormers to a Cole Garner single and a walk to Garrett Weber.  He struck out the side in both the second and fifth innings and had at least one strikeout in each of his five frames.

The Patriots gave him all the support needed in the top of the first.  Alfredo Rodriguez worked out a nine-pitch walk from Joe Gardner (0-2) and went to second on a grounder by Aharon Eggleston.  Justin Pacchioli bounced a single through the left side to drive home one run.  Pacchioli took second on a throw home and scored when Carlos Guzman stung a base hit off the glove of second baseman Garrett Weber.  Two more singles followed before Yovan Gonzalez grounded into a bases loaded double play to end the inning.

Overall, the Patriots picked up 12 hits off Gardner and three relievers, 11 of them singles.  Lancaster pitching walked eight on the afternoon.

Justin Trapp drove in three of the final four Somerset runs on singles in the fourth and fifth innings.

The Barnstormers dented the scoreboard in the eighth inning off reliever Dustin Molleken.  Anderson De La Rosa led off with a walk and took second on a one-out single to left by Beau Amaral.  Garner singled to left with two gone to plate the run.

Lancaster sends Brad Bergesen (9-6) to the mound on Monday evening in the first half Freedom Division championship game.  He will be matched up against Gaby Hernandez (8-3).  Fans may tune into the game at 6:15 on the Barnstormers YouTube Channel.

NOTES:Garrett Weber is 8-for-11 with five extra base hits in the last three games…LHP Luis Gonzalez made his season debut on Sunday afternoon, allowing two hits and a run in two innings…Sean Halton singled in the seventh to extend his most recent hitting streak to five games…He has hit safely in 18 of 20.