AVON, Ohio — The Lake Erie Crushers, presented by Mercy Health, lost to the Schaumburg Boomers at Sprenger Stadium on Thursday night, by a final score of 3-2.
The Crushers (10-8) are now two games back of first in the East with the series loss to Schaumburg. While the Boomers (12-6) extend their first-place lead in the East by a game.
Pat Ledet was impressive yet again for the Crushers. Ledet threw 6.1 innings, gave up one run off of three hits, walked one, and struck out five. Kent Hasler (0-1) is credited with the loss after giving up two earned runs over his one inning of work. Jack Finnegan (1-0) gets the win for the Boomers after pitching a scoreless ninth. Connor Eller (6) earned the save for the Boomers throwing one inning, gave up one earned run off of two hits, walked one, and struck out two of the Lake Erie batters he faced.
The offense for both sides were non-existent today. It was a pitchers duel the entire game starting with Ledet and Aaron Rozek. Rozek threw 5.1 innings, gave up only one earned run off of three hits, walked three and struck out five. Schaumburg unloaded the bullpen today as they threw six different pitchers against Lake Erie.
The scoring started in the top of the first. Schaumburg got an early 1-0 lead after Ledet walked the lead-off batter Jack Parenty. Wilkyns Jimenez followed the walk with a single to put runners on first and second. Ledet induced a ground ball off the bat of Clint Hardy and the Crushers infield rolled up the double play but, in the process, Parenty came across to score.
It would stay 1-0 until the bottom of the third inning. Lake Erie started off the inning with a single from Bryan De La Rosa. After his hit, De La Rosa put himself into scoring position with a stolen base. With a runner on second, Sebastian Diaz drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Aaron Hill followed Diaz’s walk with a walk of his own to load the bases. With the bases loaded and no one out, James Davison hit an RBI ground out to score De La Rosa and tie the game.
The 1-1 tie was the score until the top of the 10th inning. Kent Hasler was in his second inning of relief to start the 10th. Hasler started the inning getting two quick outs by striking out Matt Rose and getting Julio Gonzalez to line out to center. Hasler then issued a walk to Alex Polston, and one batter later gave up a two-run home run to Connor Oliver to make the score 3-2.
Lake Erie made things interesting in the bottom of the 10th when Aaron Hill hit a lead-off home run to put the Crushers within striking distance. Connor Eller got two quick outs after Hill’s home run but gave up a two-out double to Dale Burdick. With the tying run in scoring position for Lake Erie, Emmanuel Marrero grounded out to first to end the game. Crushers offense left nine runners on base when it was all said and done. One thing to note offensively for Lake Erie is Zach Racusin. Racusin finished the day going 1-5 to extend his hitting streak to 11-consecutive games.
The Crushers will start a three-game series with the Joliet Slammers at Sprenger Healthcare Stadium on Friday night. Right-hander Dylan Mouzakes (1-1, 4.15) will get the start for the Crushers. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.
The Lake Erie Crushers, the 2009 Frontier League Champions, and 2011 Frontier League Organization of the year, play ball at Sprenger Health Care Stadium, a 5,000 capacity stadium located in Avon, Ohio. The Frontier League is an independent baseball league with 10 teams operating throughout the Midwest. For more information on tickets, promotions and team news, visit the team website at www.LakeErieCrushers.com or call 440-934-3636.
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