wcthunderbolts.com

BOX SCORE

CRESTWOOD, IL – The ThunderBolts scored five runs in the third inning and put up three more in the seventh to pull away from the Lake Erie Crushers in an 8-5 win Wednesday afternoon at Ozinga Field.

Cam Phelts started the bottom of the first inning with a single, the first of his four hits in the game. He made it to third base with no outs but was thrown out trying to steal home as the game remained scoreless into the third.

That inning began with back-to-back walks. Then the ThunderBolts (6-6) got their first run on an error. Phelts and Christian Kuzemka followed with back-to-back RBI singles that made the score 3-0. Joe Johnson came up next and doubled home two more runs.

Lake Erie (8-3) tried to make a game of it, plating four runs of their own in the top of the sixth. Sean Cheely broke the shutout with an RBI double and he scored on a Vincent Byrd base hit. Ronald Washington’s RBI triple brought the Crushers to within one run but he was stranded at third representing the tying run.

The next inning, the Bolts put the game away. Johnson and Lolo Williams picked up RBI singles and JJ Figueroa hit a sacrifice fly to make the score 8-4. 

Lake Erie got a solo homer from Logan Thomason in the ninth but could not muster any other offense.

Michael Barker (1-2) had a shutout into the sixth and ended up allowing two earned runs over five innings for his first win. Jack Eisenbarger allowed five runs (four earned) in five innings for the loss.

The rubber match of the three-game series is set for Thursday morning on the final Dave & Buster’s School Day of the year. Buddie Pindel (2-0, 3.75) is the scheduled starter for the ThunderBolts. First pitch is scheduled for 10:35 and the broadcast can be found through wcthunderbolts.com.