CRAZY FINISH GIVES BARNSTORMERS 10^TH STRAIGHT AT HOME

Multiple Ejections Follow Extra-Inning Win

The Lancaster Barnstormers and High Point Rockers battled each other for 10 innings on Wednesday night.  After the ‘Stormers eked out a 3-2 win on a controversial call, both teams ended up battling the three-man umpiring crew.

Multiple ejections ensued with everyone from High Point first baseman Logan Morrison to Lancaster manager Ross Peeples getting the heave-ho.

The game was tied, 1-1, through the first nine on an exchange of solo homers.  Trayvon Robinson connected for the Barnstormers to lead off the second.  Morrison answered with a two-out shot to right in the top of the third.

Pitchers took control of the game until the 10^th.  Five Lancaster right-handers checked the Rockers on a total of five hits while the Barnstormers also managed just five off a pair of High Point lefties.

In the top of the tenth, Donald Goodson (1-0) struck out Ben Aklinski for the first out, keeping courtesy runner Tyler Ladendorf at second.  A wild pitch during a walk to Morrison allowed Ladendorf to take third, and the run scored on a sacrifice fly by Zander Wiel as the Rockers took the lead.

With Anderson Feliz at second, the first pitch from Austin Glorius (3-6) hit Jake Hoover.  A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third.  Glorius struck out Trace Loehr, but Anthony Peroni came through with an RBI single to tie the game.  Devon Torrence worked the count to 3-2 before chopping a ground to Ladendorf, the second baseman.  Ladendorf fed Giovanny Alfonzo for the force at second.  The relay throw to first appeared to have Torrence beaten, but he was ruled save as Hoover carried the winning run home for Lancaster’s 10^th straight win at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

Chaos ensued.  Morrison, beginning to celebrate what he thought to be the end of the inning, tossed the ball and his glove into the air and began to argue with first base umpire P.J. McConnville.  Eventually, the entire Rockers team began to swarm the three-man crew, and, at one point, third base umpire Nate Caldwell’s shoe came off, which Caldwell then threw.  Peeples, trying to intervene, also got tossed as the crowd of players headed toward the right field gate continued to swell, and the argument continued.

An investigation by the Atlantic League into the incident is expected to be launched on Thursday.

The series will continue on Thursday with Nile Ball (5-3) on the hill for Lancaster against Nick Evangelista (1-2).  It’s Three-Peat Thursday to celebrate Clipper Magazine Stadium’s third straight win in Ballpark Digest’s Best of the Ballparks MLB Partner League division.  Fans may also tune into Blue Ridge 11 or the Barnstormers YouTube channel at 6:30.

NOTES:  Melvin Mercedes doubled in the ninth to extend his hitting streak to 11 games…Robinson has knocked in 11 runs in the last five…Lancaster has lost Kelly Dugan for an indeterminate amount of time after the 1B/OF injured his foot while making a play on a fly ball Tuesday night…Lancaster’s staff struck out 12 for the game.