CRABS REVENGE!

Southern Maryland Sweeps Stormers in Delayed Opening

After getting knocked out of the playoffs by the Lancaster Barnstormers in 2022, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs were able to exact a small measure of revenge in the first games of 2023.

Mitch Lambson held Lancaster hitless for the first five innings  of the nightcap, and the Blue Crabs took advantage of some ‘Stormers miscues in the opener for an 8-3 and 2-1 sweep of a doubleheader on a delayed start to the season at Regency Furniture Stadium.

Lambson (1-0) did not need much support in the nightcap.  He got the required amount from Michael Wielansky who plated Ian Yetsko with an unearned run in the third off Jared Lakind (0-1) and tripled into the right field corner to score Felix Aberouette in the fifth off Cole Aker.

Through the first five innings and over 90 pitches, Lambson kept the Lancaster bats in check on five walks and four strikeouts.  Crabs manager Stan Cliburn left him in, but pitch 97 was sent screaming over the clubhouse beyond the left field wall by Andretty Cordero to cut the deficit to 2-1.  Ariel Sandoval reached on a one-out infield hit off Jacques Pucheu and stole second, but that was as close as Lancaster would get.  Former Astro Andre Scrubb retired the side in order in the ninth for the save.

An RBI double by Cedar Crest’s Joseph Carpenter put the first run of the season on the board off three-time defending Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year Daryl Thompson (1-0) in the top of the third inning in Game One.

Brandyn Sittinger (0-1), who retired the first six batters of the game, raced to cover first on a right side dribbler by Fox Semones but could not find the bag with his foot on an awkward throw by Carpenter.  Sittinger walked two to load the bases with one out.  Wielansky stroked a line drive right at left fielder Trayvon Robinson, who seemed to lose it at the last second, with the ball rolling to the wall for a three-base error.  One out later, David Harris snuck a grounder up the middle to make it 4-1. 

A home run by Ryan Haug in the fourth stretched the lead to 5-1.  Lancaster fought back with an RBI double by Sandoval, who went 4-for-5 on the night, and a sac fly by Jake Hoover.  Southern Maryland closed the door with three runs in the bottom of the sixth without the benefit of a base hit.

Lancaster will send right-hander Dominic DiSabatino to the hill on Sunday afternoon at 2:05 against lefty Sandro Cabrera.  The game may be seen on FloSports, beginning at 2:00.

NOTES:  Cordero, who just arrived on Thursday evening, sat out Game One, the first game as a Barnstormer that he has not started…He has homered in four straight regular season games…Lancaster pitchers struck out 11 in the nightcap, six by Lakind in three innings and three by Brian Marconi in four batters.