Belters 7 Bolts 3
CRESTWOOD, IL – The Normal CornBelters broke a scoreless tie with a four-run sixth innings and put up three more in the eighth to defeat the Windy City ThunderBolts 7-3 at Standard Bank Stadium Saturday night.
Jake Fisher of the ThunderBolts and Mike Schweiss of the CornBelters engaged in an excellent pitchers’ battle through the first five innings. Fisher allowed just one hit and Schweiss gave up only one.
The scoring began in the sixth, when Dylan Kelly led off with a single for Normal (24-29). Mitch Elliott was hit by a pitch and Santiago Chirino scored two runs on a double. With two outs in the inning, Dillon Haupt hit his league-best 15th home run to put the Belters on top 4-0.
The crowd of 2,192 found reason to cheer just one inning later as the ThunderBolts (25-28) loaded the bases on two singles and a walk with only one out. Tim Zier delivered a two-run single to cut the lead in half. Charley Thurber drove in a third run on a groundout to make the score 4-3. The Bolts moved runners to second and third but Francisco Carrillo got Ransom LaLonde to line out, ending the threat.
Aaron Dudley put the game away in the eighth, hitting a two-run homer and Elvin Rodriguez tacked on insurance with an RBI single later in the frame.
Schweiss (4-4) picked up the win, striking out nine and allowing three runs in 6.1 innings. Fisher (5-4) allowed four runs, all in the sixth inning, on four hits, three of which came in the sixth.
The rubber match of this three-game set will be played at Standard Bank Stadium on Sunday evening. It is Standard Bank Family Day at the park and fans will get the chance after the game to play catch on the field and get players’ autographs. Clay Chapman (5-3, 2.77) will get the start for the Bolts against Normal’s Chris Carmain (2-5, 4.58). The game broadcast can be heard through wcthunderbolts.com.
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