LANCASTER ENJOYS STORM OFF WIN

Carpenter Single Decides Game in 10^th

The Lancaster Stormers and Lexington Legends played a very tidy nine innings at Clipper Magazine Stadium on Friday evening but left the game undecided at 2-2.

Then, all you-know-what broke loose in the tenth, and Lancaster stormed off with a wild 6-5 win.

That victory, Lancaster’s fifth straight, enabled the Stormers to remain in a first place tie with York in the North.

Lexington scored three runs in the top of the inning without the ball leaving the infield.  Wilmin Candelario attempted to bunt automatic runner Luis Tavarez to third but dropped the ball in front of the plate.  Chris Proctor fired to third to catch Tavarez in a rundown, but the Stormers allowed him to escape.  Payton Robertson also dropped a bunt down in the same spot; this time Proctor’s throw was good for a force out.  Matt Bottcher hit into a 4-6 force out, leaving Lexington with runners at the corners and two outs.  Brady Whalen, who had a single and homer on the night, was walked intentionally.  Kingston Liniak beat out a scratch hit toward third as the lead run scored.  Jackson Rees (1-0) forced home another run with a bases loaded walk to Tristan Pompey.  Keenan O’Brien made it 5-2, beating out another topper toward third.  Rees finally ended the inning, striking out Ryan January.

Logan Campbell (0-2) never got an out in the home portion of the inning.  Shawon Dunston, Jr. walked.  Isan Diaz loaded the bases with a single into right.  Cristian Santana followed with a base hit into right, scoring automatic runner Trace Loehr.  Dunston scored, and Diaz took third, on an error by January in right.  With pinch runner Nick Lucky on the move, Gaige Howard’s grounder to second was mishandled by Bottcher as the tying run scored.  Joseph Carpenter rode a 3-2 pitch into center to bring Lucky home from second with the winning tally.

Kyle Hess’ second inning infield single and a fifth inning homer by Trace Loehr had staked the Stormers to a 2-0 lead for Brady Tedesco.  Lexington whittled one run off that lead as Pompey singled home Whalen in the sixth, then Whalen reached Nick Green for a two-out solo homer to right in the eighth to level the score.

The Stormers will entertain Lexington on Saturday evening with Nile Ball (1-0) slated to go for Lancaster against right-hander David Reckers (0-1).  Fireworks will follow the game.  Fans may tune in on FloBaseball, beginning at 6:40.

NOTES:  Tedesco threw Lancaster’s fourth straight quality start…The rotation has allowed only two earned runs and one walk in 24 innings on the homestand…The extra inning allowed both Diaz and Santana to extend personal hitting streaks to eight games…Howard had his fourth straight multi-hit game…The crowd of 6,357 on Hispanic Heritage Night topped the Opening Night crowd by 33.