CRABS BEAT ‘STORMERS IN NINTH

Southern Maryland Rallies for 5-4 Win

The Lancaster Barnstormers scored all of their runs in one inning on Friday night. That surge was not enough.

Southern Maryland rallied from a 4-2 deficit and scored the winning run in the top of the ninth to defeat the Barnstormers, 5-4, in the opening game of a four-game weekend series.

Eric Garcia drew a leadoff walk from Pete Andrelczyk (4-1) to open the ninth. Antoan Richardson dropped a bunt along the third base line and an 0-2 pitch, advancing Richardson to second. D’Arby Myers plated the run with a ground single up the middle before Andrelczyk could work his way out of the inning, his second of the night.

The Blue Crabs had tied the game on a pair of unearned runs in the fifth. With one out, Myers reached when shortstop Kevin Ahrens sailed a throw over the head of first baseman K.C. Hobson. Myers stole second and scored on a single to right by Bryant Nelson, who was 4-for-5 on the night. Nelson, in turn, swiped second and scored when Gustavo Molina punched a single just out of the reach of Jeff Kobernus into right, tying the game.

Lancaster had taken a 4-2 lead off starter Tim Sexton in the third. Charlie Cutler lined a single into right to lead off the inning. With Cutler in motion, Kobernus slapped a single into right sending the runner to third. Ahrens launched a three-run homer onto the picnic tents in right field, giving Lancaster its first lead of the night. Caleb Gindl walked and stole second. Josh Bell sliced a single into left to get Gindl to third, and the fourth run scored on a double play grounder.

Jamar Walton had vaulted the Blue Crabs into the early lead with a two-run homer to right in the second.

Southern Maryland’s bullpen gave the club five scoreless innings, yielding only a bunt single to Kobernus in the sixth. Robert Carson (1-2) retired all six batters he faced to earn the win. Cody Eppley issued a one-out walk to Kobernus in the ninth. Kobernus stole second but was thrown out trying to take third on a ground ball to short by Ahrens. Gindl struck out to end the night as Eppley recorded his 14th save.

All-Star left-hander Brian Burres (6-4) will take the hill for the Blue Crabs on Saturday evening against right-hander Mike Lee (4-2). Fireworks will follow the game. Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 6:45.

NOTES: Sean Halton went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 13 games…K.C. Hobson doubled in the fourth inning, his sixth straight game with an extra base hit…Kobernus’ steal in the ninth was his first since returning from a hamstring injury…The Barnstormers are 8-19 in one-run games on the season.