ThunderBolts Strike Late for Critical Win
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CRESTWOOD, IL – Jared Beebe hit a go-ahead two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning as the ThunderBolts erased a late deficit, defeating the Lake Erie Crushers 5-3 at Ozinga Field Wednesday night. The win keeps the Bolts in a tie for the final wild card spot, one game behind the division leaders with four games to play.
Windy City (53-45) took an early lead with two runs in the first inning. Michael Sandle walked and stole second base before Justin Fogel singled him in. Back-to-back walk followed, loading the bases and Victor Cerny hit a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 Bolts.
Lake Erie (40-57) got on the board for the first time in the third. Jacob Connery singled and worked his way around the bases, scoring on a Jeron Williams groundout that cut the Bolts’ lead in half.
The Crushers took their first lead in the fifth. Connery double and Joe Redfield singled. Both men scored on Brayden Jobert’s two-out single that made it 3-2.
After their early outburst, the ThunderBolts went cold on offense as the Lake Eire bullpen held them hitless for five straight innings. That changed in the eighth as Liam McArthur hit a leadoff single. Justin Fogel doubled to put runners at second and third and Beebe singled home two runs to put the Bolts back on top. A bases loaded walk later in the inning added an insurance run.
Justin Lovell pitched a scoreless ninth for his seventh save.
Zach Cameron (4-1) picked up the win and Alexander Castro (2-4) took the loss.
The rubber match of the three-game series is set for Thursday, the final home game of the regular season for the ThunderBolts. Tyler Biddinger (5-2, 3.88) gets the start for the Bolts against Lake Erie’s Fraynel Nova (3-9, 5.83). It’s a White Castle Wrestling Thursday at Ozinga Field with a pro wrestling show set to follow the game. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 CDT and broadcast information can be found at wcthunderbolts.com.
