LAKE ERIE CRUSHERS News & Game Recaps

Joliet, IL – For the first time in weeks, tonight was NOT a must-win game. The Lake Erie Crushers (51-44) fell 4-2 to the Joliet Slammers (38-58) in the final game of the 2024 regular season…but it will not be the final game of 2024.

By the time 7:05pm EST rolled around, the path to the playoffs was clear: win and in OR a Schaumburg loss in game two of their doubleheader.

When the Crushers’ game started, the all-important Schaumburg/Washington game was in the 4th inning (of seven) with Washington hanging on to a 6-5 lead. With nothing guaranteed, especially given Schaumburg’s gritty comebacks in the last two weeks, Lake Erie had a business meeting with Joliet.

The Slammers made for some early drama in the first inning when LF Liam McArthur led off with a double. However, LHP Jack Eisenbarger, who was well aware of the game’s implications, retired the next three hitters in order to keep Joliet off the board. The outs included a strikeout of known Crusher-killer, 1B Matthew Warkentin – clutch pitching from the Lake Erie ace.

Lake Erie turned Eisenbarger’s pitching into some instant offense with a leadoff double by DH Vincent Byrd Jr. in the 2nd. Byrd would score on an aggressive send by Jared Lemieux on a RF Jake Guenther ground ball that was knocked down in shallow right field. With the throw home wide, Guenther was awarded with yet another RBI – his 7th in, now, a four-game RBI streak.

Guenther scored on a wild pitch later in the frame, and the Crushers got out to an early 2-0 lead.

With the game in the 4th inning, there was a final in Washington. The Boomers fell 6-5 and officially put the Crushers into the Frontier League playoffs for the first time since 2019!

Jared Lemieux was made aware of the situation and began making substitutions accordingly with their game against Joliet functioning as icing on the cake.

Joliet scored a pair in the 5th, making the score 2-2, which held into the later innings. The Slammers opened things up in the 8th with two runs off LHP Kenny Pierson. Joliet held on for their consolation win, 4-2, but for Lake Erie, the job was finished – they are headed to the playoffs.

So what’s next? Well, a one game Wild Card against the Gateway Grizzlies on Tuesday, September 3rd, in Sauget, Illinois. It’ll be a 7:30pm EST first pitch. Win and move on. Lose and go home. A Wild Card for all the marbles.

You can catch all the action on FLOBaseball.tv!

Keep an eye out tomorrow for playoff ticket information.