SCHAFER’S SUPER SEVENTH LEADS ‘STORMERS

Center Fielder Makes Great Catch, Homers in Lancaster Win

Logan Schafer had a seventh inning to remember on Saturday evening.

The Lancaster Barnstormers’ center fielder made a superb catch on a drive by Jeremy Barfield in the top of the inning, then capped a four-run Lancaster half with a two-run homer to right center, leading the ‘Stormers to a 7-4 victory over the Sugar Land Skeeters at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

With the score tied, 3-3, entering the seventh, Ryan Dennick (1-1) quickly retired the first two Sugar Land batters and appeared to be on his way to a 1-2-3 inning when Rene Tosoni’s ground ball took a wicked hop over the head of first baseman Mike McDade.  Barfield, who had already homered and tripled in the game followed with a blast to left center, the deepest part of Clipper Magazine Stadium.  Schafer raced back, latched onto the baseball at full speed, hit the vinyl-covered chain link fence and bounced off with the baseball still in his grasp, ending the inning.

With one out in the bottom of the inning, McDade slapped a single up the middle off Jake Hale (0-1).  A passed ball moved McDade to second, and he scored when Travis Witherspoon lined a one-hop single off the wall in right.  Jeff Kobernus greeted Jon Velazquez with an RBI double to right center.  Schafer followed with a fly ball into the net and right center for the 7-3 lead, too much for the Skeeters to overcome.

Barfield and Sean Halton were largely responsible for the 3-3 deadlock.  The Sugar Land left fielder homered to left in the second, then tripled and scored a run in the fourth.  Meanwhile, Halton belted a pair of homers in the second and fourth, the second with Caleb Gindl aboard on a walk.

Sugar Land knotted the game in the fifth as Ricky Hague doubled home Beamer Weems with an unearned run.  Pete Andrelczyk entered with the bases loaded and one out and got Bryan Evans out of a deeper scrape, striking out Barfield and retiring Travis Scott on a fly to left with the bases loaded in the fifth inning.

Lancaster will send right-hander Tanner Peters (1-0) to the mound on Sunday against right-hander Sean Gallagher (2-3).  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube Channel, beginning at 1:45.

NOTES:  Schafer’s homer extended his hitting streak to eight…Halton’s two-homer game was the first by a Barnstormer since September 11, 2015 when McDade homered from each side of the plate…Three homers was the most by the ‘Stormers this season…Matt Reynolds pitched a scoreless eighth…He has allowed three hits and no runs while striking out 12 in his last six innings…Andrelczyk has tossed 6 2/3 straight scoreless frames.