Pats Kick Stormers To Curb

By Melinda Quasius on September 16, 2008

BRIDGEWATER, NJ – The Lancaster Barnstormers were kicked to the curb on “Soccer Night” at Commerce Bank Park Monday, despite setting two Atlantic League records.

The Somerset Patriots jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning and, with pitcher Brian Adams (W, 11-7) on the mound for eight solid innings, never looked back through the 10-5 victory.

Adams, in his longest start of the season, faced 34 batters and gave up three runs on 10 hits. He walked one and struck out five.

His Lancaster counterpart, Mac Nelson (L, 1-1), did not fare as well. Nelson was pulled in the third inning after giving up five runs and loading the bases. In his two and two-thirds innings of work, Nelson walked four, struck out one and gave up six hits that lead to six earned runs.

The Patriots began the evening when Nelson walked lead off man Elliott Ayala and second baseman Teuris Olivares. Designated hitter Joe Burke, a new addition to the team, bunted the runners over for first baseman Josh Pressley, who doubled into right field for two RBI. Pressley went 3-4, with two runs and five RBI. Third baseman Matt Hagen singled to left, scoring Pressley. Hagen then stole second base, and recent Somerset addition Anthony Granato looped a single into right field, sending Hagan home. Catcher Travis Anderson ended the inning when he slapped a single off of the short stop’s glove and left fielder Mike Woods threw Granato out at the plate.

The Barnstormers refused to take a dive, though. Lancaster threatened in the third inning, sending four base runners against Adams, but none were able to score. In the fifth inning, center fielder Gary Harris hit a fielder’s choice single, bringing Argenis Tavarez in for the first Barnstormer point of the evening.

Lancaster tacked on two more runs in the sixth, including an RBI triple by second baseman Lloyd Turner. With the hit, Turner set the Atlantic League single season record for triples with 12.

The Patriots answered back with a four-run eighth inning. Somerset recorded four hits and four runs (three earned) off relief pitcher Wes Wilkerson, making the score 10-3.

John Hunton came in the ninth to close the game for the Patriots. Lancaster instead rallied when Hunton walked Tavarez and Wood. DH Matt LeCroy doubled off the right field wall, scoring both runners. When he crossed the plate, Woods set the single season record for runs scored at 114, besting Billy Hall’s former record of 113. The rally ended when the next batter, right fielder Bryan Sabatella, grounded into a 6-3 double play. Hunton did not qualify for a save.

The Barnstormers were led by Woods, who was 3-4 with a walk and a run. Along with Pressley’s big performance, the Patriots were helped by Olivares, who went 2-4 with one walk, two runs and one RBI. The RBI came with the bases loaded in the third, extending Olivares’ streak to nine RBI in his nine appearances this season with the bases loaded.

Tuesday, the two teams match up again in Bridgewater. The 7:05 p.m. start features Ben Fritz (3-0) for the Barnstormers against Brian Tolberg (0-0) of the Patriots on “Irish Night,” “Halloween Night,” and “Rally Towel Night.”

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