SWARMER FANS 10 IN LOSS

Lancaster Drops Second Straight in Lexington

Matt Swarmer became the first pitcher in Stormers history to have five double digit strikeout games.

His 10-K performance was not enough on Saturday evening as four Lexington right-handers combined on a three-hit shutout in a 2-0 Legends win at Wild Health Field.

It was the second straight win for the Legends in the series after the host club had dropped nine straight.

Swarmer (2-2) retired the first 12 batters he faced, seven on strikes, before yielding a leadoff single to Matt Bottcher in the fifth.  Bottcher got to third on a bad pickoff throw and an error, but Swarmer struck out two and got J.T. Riddle to ground out to first base to close the threat.

Meanwhile, Wesley Scott survived a walk to Damon Dues and passed ball on his first pitch to Gaige Howard in the first inning.  Howard flied out to right on a sliding grab by Pedro Gonzalez in right center.  Niko Hulsizer yanked a liner to deep left, but Justin Williams made a diving catch to snuff out the inning.  The Stormers would only get one other runner to second through the eighth, and, at one point had 12 batters retired in succession.

Kole Cottam broke the scoreless deadlock with a one-out solo homer to right in the bottom of the seventh.  Jacob Barfield singled to right, and J.T. Riddle reached on a pop fly lost in the twilight.

Swarmer was replaced by Scott Engler, who got out of a bases loaded jam on two strikeouts, but the Legends tacked on a run in the bottom of the eighth as Brady Whalen led off with a double against Phil Diehl.  Gonzalez singled to right, and Bottcher drove in Lexington’s second run with a base hit to left.  Stephen Nogosek struck out the side after that.

The Stormers managed two singles off former Lancaster right-hander Donald Goodson in the top of the ninth, but Goodson fanned Chad Sedio for the final out, earning his first save for the Legends.

Jean Herrera (1-0) pitched a perfect seventh in his debut for the win.

Lancaster is scheduled to send Noah Bremer (8-5) to the mound on Sunday for his fourth start in nine days.  Matt Reitz (2-4) will take the hill for Lexington.  Fans may tune into FloBaseball at 1:55 for the action.

NOTES:  The game featured 27 strikeouts total…Mason Martin had one of the singles in the ninth, stretching his hitting streak to 11…Lexington leads the season series, 3-2…Swarmer had consecutive 11-K games last season and has had 10 and a record-tying 13 previously this year.