HOMETOWN LAKIND BRILLIANT IN LANCASTER WIN

Barnstormers Capture Split with 8-2 Victory in Texas

Jared Lakind had the opportunity to start for the first time as a professional near his home in the suburbs of Houston, Texas.

The left-hander sparkled in front of friends and family.

Lakind (2-1) worked eight innings of three-hit baseball on Thursday evening, pitching the Lancaster Barnstormers to an 8-2 victory over the host Sugar Land Skeeters at Constellation Field.

The win gained the Barnstormers a split of the four-game series and moved Lancaster back to within 7 ½ games of the division-leading Skeeters.

It did not look like it would be Lakind’s night at the outset.  The converted first baseman walked leadoff batter Jason Martinson on four pitches and yielded a double into the left field corner by Anthony Giansanti.  A ground out by Juan Silverio brought the first run home, but Lakind settled down, retiring 11 of the next 12 Sugar Land batters.

The Barnstormers grabbed the lead in the top of the fourth.  Caleb Gindl picked up a leadoff walk, took second on a wild pitch and scored on a K.C. Hobson double down the left field line.  With two outs, Anderson De La Rosa slugged his second homer of the seven-game trip and third of the season, giving Lancaster a 3-1 edge.

In the fifth, the first six Barnstormers reached base to score four more runs off Matt Purke (2-1).  Darian Sandford, moved back into the leadoff role, beat out a bunt single pushed to the right side.  He went to second on a bad pickoff throw.  Dan Gamache walked, and Michael Martinez singled home a run for a 4-1 lead.  A throwing error by left fielder O’Koyea Dickson enabled both remaining runners to advance a base.  Gindl brought them both home with a double to the gap in left center.  He scored the fourth run of the inning on a sharp single to left by Joe Terdoslavich.  Hobson also singled, but the Barnstormers could produce no more.

Lakind struggled at the outset of the home fifth, walking Zach Borenstein and yielding singles to Ryan Jackson and Cody Stanley to load the bases.  He rallied by striking out Martinson.  Giansanti delivered one run with a sac fly, and Silverio lined to left to close the inning.

Only one more runner reached base against Lakind and did so on an error.  The Texan finished his night walking three and striking out four while turning his third straight quality start on the road.

Lancaster hosts York on Friday evening at 7:00.  Kelvin Vasquez (0-0) will take the mound against Revs right-hander Mitch Atkins (1-4).  Fireworks will follow the game.  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 6:45.

NOTES:  Lancaster has scored 92 runs on 128 hits in 12 June games…Gamache singled in the third to extend his hitting streak to 10…It is his second double-digit streak of the year…Gindl forged into the league RBI lead with 37…Terdoslavich is third with 35…Hobson became the third member of the team to reach 30…De la Rosa has nine RBI in his last seven games…Lancaster finished the first half 4-6 against Sugar Land.