Game two:
(Bridgeport, CT. July 1, 2015)—It was a celebratory day for the Blue Crabs, who earlier in the day clinched the Freedom Division and secured a playoff spot, defeated the Bridgeport Bluefish 5-4 in game two of the day-night doubleheader.
Both teams were held scoreless for the first five innings until Southern Maryland cracked the scoreboard in the top of the sixth. With one out, Anthony Vega singled, followed by a Fred Lewis single to put runners at the corners. Daryle Ward then came to the plate, and the veteran came through with a two run double to score Vega, and Lewis to make it 2-0. Three batters later, with two runners on Casey Stevenson doubled to score Ward to make it 3-0.
In the top of the seventh, Grant Zawadzki started another rally with a double, followed by an Anthony Vega single to score Zawadzki to make it 4-0. Eric Niesen came out of the bullpen, and two batters later, Daryle Ward singled to put runners at first and third. Gustavo Molina then singled to score Vega to make it 5-0.
Bridgeport attempted to make a comeback late in the ballgame. In the bottom of the eight, with a runner at third and two outs, Jobduan Morales singled to score Josh Prince. The next hitter Andres Rodriguez singled to score Jonathan Galvez to make it 5-2. Right hander Cody Eppley came on in relief for Wade Korpi, and surrendered a single to Matt Burns to score Jobduan Morales to make 5-3.
Things got interesting in the bottom of the ninth. With runners at second and third for the Bluefish, Jonathan Galvez was at the plate, and Erik Hamren uncorked a wild pitch to score Josh Prince to make it 5-4. The all-star Hamren struck out Jobduan Morales though to end the ballgame and give the Blue Crabs the 5-4 win.
The first five hitters of Zawadzki, Vega, Lewis, Ward, and Molina combined for nine hits. Daryl Thompson picked up the victory, going six innings, allowing just five hits. Southern Maryland has won five of their last six, and look to win the final game of the series tomorrow. The first pitch from Bridgeport is set for 7:05 P.M.
(Bridgeport, CT., July 1st, 2015)— The magic number to clinch the Freedom Division was one game coming Into the day. The Blue Crabs needed one win to secure a playoff birth, and they received it in game one of the day night doubleheader, defeating the Bridgeport Bluefish by the final of 7-2. It’s the fifth time in the franchise history of the Blue Crabs that they have clinched a playoff birth.
The story of the ballgame for Southern Maryland was spread out scoring, and solid pitching that propelled the Blue Crabs to victory. Right handed starter Brian Grening went five innings, allowing a run on seven hits, while striking out five to earn the victory. On the other side of the coin, the Blue Crabs were out hit 8-7, but scored runs in the first, second, third, fourth, and sixth innings.
Southern Maryland took the early lead in the top of the first inning, as Fred Lewis ripped a single back up the middle. The next hitter Casey Stevenson drove a homerun over the wall in right field to make it 2-0. The scoring continued in the top of the second, as Jake Opitz led things off with a double to the left center field gap. This was then proceeded by a Jamar Walton single to right, that allowed Opitz to score to make it 3-0. A Zach Wilson double would score Fred Lewis to make it a 4-0 ballgame in the top of the third.
In the bottom of the frame in the third inning, Luis Al. Rodriguez led things off with a single, and two batters later Josh Prince singled to put two runners on base. The next hitter Luis An. Rodriguez then came to the plate and singled to plate Luis Al. Rodriguez to make it a 5-1 ballgame.
The Blue Crabs countered with a run in the fourth, and two in the sixth. With one out in the top of the fourth, Jake Opitz hit a homer over the wall in right to make it 4-1. In the top of the sixth inning, Jovan Rosa would reach base via an error by the second baseman Rodriguez. The next hitter Craig Maddox banged a homerun over the right field wall to make it a 7-1 score.
Bridgeport added a run in the bottom of the seventh, but the air was quickly removed from their tires and RHP Orlando Santos shut things down to give the Blue Crabs a 7-2 victory, and the first half Freedom Division title.
The Blue Crabs received runs batted in from Casey Stevenson, Zach Wilson, Craig Maddox, Jake Opitz, and Jamar Walton. Game two of the day-night doubleheader will commence tonight at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard. The first pitch is set for 7:05 P.M. RHP Daryl Thompson (1-1, 2.51) will take the ball for Southern Maryland in the nightcap, while RHP Kameron Loe (0-1, 12.96) will start for Bridgeport