BATS ERUPT!

Barnstormers Double the Clocks, 10-5

Kelly Dugan slammed a three-run homer, and Andretty Cordero had two hits and two RBI on Saturday evening as the Lancaster Barnstormers defeated the Lexington Counter Clocks, 10-5, at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

In other words, the Barnstormers looked far more like the championship club of 2022 than they had during the first week of their title defense.

Dugan’s homer off Ean Walda (0-1) followed walks to Shawon Dunston, Jr. and Cordero in the bottom of the fifth and gave Lancaster a lead it never lost.

The Barnstormers continued to take advantage of wildness from the Lexington staff in the sixth.  Cooper Brune loaded the bases on walks to Jake Hoover and Dunston around hitting Trace Loehr with a pitch.  He forced home a run with a walk to Melvin Mercedes.  Cordero reached reliever Dakota Mekkes for a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 7-3.  Loehr chimed in with a two-out, two-run single into center in the seventh.

Ronnie Dawson went 3-for-4 for Lexington with two doubles and a home run.  He drove in three, two with a double in the top of the second that gave the Counter Clocks a 3-2 lead.  Logan Brown also homered for Lexington while Melvin Mercedes added an eighth inning homer for Lancaster.

Dominic DiSabatino (1-0) worked five innings for the Barnstormers, allowing six hits and three runs.

Lancaster will entertain Lexington in the finale of the series on Sunday afternoon at 1:00.  The Barnstormers will send Jacob Lemoine (0-0) to the hill against fellow right-hander Sam Burton (1-0).  Fans may follow the game on Flosports.tv.  beginning at 12:55.

NOTES:  Dunston walked four times in the game and has drawn 11 on the season…Andrew Lee pitched two innings, facing only six batters…Ariel Sandoval extended his hitting streak to seven games with a pair of singles…The game drew 5,265, the top crowd of the season.