York 7, Lancaster 6 (10 innings)

Nothing comes easy for the Lancaster Barnstormers in 2023.

Especially not go-ahead runs.

The Barnstormers rallied from a 6-1 deficit Saturday evening at WellSpan Park in York, only to leave the bases loaded in the top of the 10^th inning and lose to the host Reves, 7-6, in a rain-delayed game.

Anthony Peroni led off the eighth with a walk and left for designated runner Chris Proctor.  Melvin Mercedes stroked a grounder to the hole on the right side, but Proctor could not avoid it and was automatically out.  Yeison Coca singled into right, and Andretty Cordero was hit by a pitch to load the bags.  Ariel Sandoval got a bases loaded walk on a clock violation, and Wilson Garcia made it 6-3 with a sacrifice fly to right.  Joseph Carpenter lined out to end the inning.

Trayvon Robinson and Chad Sedio drew consecutive walks to open the ninth.  Peroni and Melvin Mercedes drilled consecutive RBI singles to pull Lancaster to within a run.  Nelvin Correa (4-4) replaced Carlos Espinal and allowed Coca to drop a bunt to move the runners to second and third.  The Revs opted to walk Cordero intentionally to load the bases.  A sacrifice fly by Sandoval tied the game.

Then, in the tenth, walks to Jack Conley and Robinson filled the bases, but the Barnstormers could never forge ahead against Correa.  Sedio struck out looking, Chris Proctor grounded into a force play at the plate, and Mercedes grounded to first to end the game.

Otosaka beat out a bunt single to send Trey Martin to third in the bottom of the inning.  Mike Adams (3-6) gave an intentional walk to Drew Mendoza to load the bases.  Jhon Nunez struck out before Trent Giambrone rolled a single under Mercedes’ glove to win it.

Jared Lakind (8-4) will take the hill for the Barnstormers on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 against right-hander J.T. Hintzen (9-7).  Fans may tune into FloBaseball at 1:55.

NOTES:  York pulled to within 1 ½ of the top with the win…Cordero lost an 18-game hitting streak…Lancaster starter Matt Swarmer struck out 11 in 5 2/3 innings, the most by a Barnstormer pitcher since Cameron Gann struck out 12 at Kentucky in June, 2022…Chandler Brierley struck out Otosaka, the only batter he faced, in his debut…Alexis Pantoja hit his first homer of the year for York to break a 1-1 tie in the fifth.

Long Island 7, Staten Island 6 (11 innings)

(Staten Island, N.Y., Sept. 9, 2023) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Staten Island FerryHawks 7-6 in 11 innings on Saturday evening in the middle game of a three-game weekend series at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park.

The Ducks took a 2-0 lead against FerryHawks starting pitcher Ethan Skuija just four batters into the ballgame as Sam Travis belted a two-out, two-run run home over the left field wall and into the trees. The visitors took a 5-0 advantage in the third by way of an RBI base knock from Alejandro De Aza and a majestic two-run home run to left by Carlos Castro.

Staten Island sent ten batters to the plate in the home half of the third inning versus Long Island starter Ian Clarkin and scored six runs to take their first lead of the ballgame at 6-5, highlighted by an RBI ground out from Angel Aguilar, a two-run double from Chris Brito, and a two-RBI single off the bat of Kevin Krause.

The Flock evened up the contest at six apiece in the fourth thanks to an Alex Dickerson RBI double into the left field corner. Joe DeCarlo’s single in the top half of the eleventh frame brought in Brantley Bell from second base to put Long Island back out in front by the count of 7-6. Jimmy Yacabonis stranded the tying-run at third base after collecting back-to back strikeouts looking of Justin Williams and Kolby Johnson to notch his first save as a member of the Ducks as Long Island improved to 5-1 in extra-inning ballgames in 2023, including a 3-0 record when free baseball is being played by the Flock on the road.

Both starters tallied no-decisions on the night, as Clarkin gave up six runs (five earned) on two hits in four innings of work, walking five and striking out one, while Skuija allowed five runs on six hits in three innings pitched, walking one while striking out five. Jake Fishman (2-0) was the winner in relief after firing a scoreless inning on just one walk, while William Kirwan (1-1) suffered the loss, surrendering an unearned run on one hit in one inning on the mound.

Dickerson, De Aza, and Carlos Castro had two hits apiece as the Ducks won their fifth straight game and eleventh in their last 15 overall.

The Ducks and FerryHawks wrap their three-game set on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park. Fans can follow the action live on Flo Baseball by CLICKING HERE. Left-hander Kyle Lobstein (5-5, 5.72) toes the rubber for the Flock against FerryHawks righty Nick Beardsley (2-5, 7.63).

Long Island returns home on Friday, September 15, for their final home series of the regular season, a three-game set against the High Point Rockers. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m., with the Fairfield Properties Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for full season ticket holders). It’s Prostate Cancer Awareness Night at the Ballpark, and the first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive Ducks Seat Cushions, courtesy of Good Samaritan University Hospital. Tickets to the game, and all Ducks home games, are available by visiting the Fairfield Properties Ballpark box office, calling (631) 940-TIXX or CLICKING HERE.

Gastonia 8, Charleston 2 (Game 1)
Charleston 4, Gastonia 3 (Game 2)

Gastonia clinched a spot in the playoffs with an 8-2 win over Charleston in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday at Gastonia. Alexis Olmeda hit two home runs and Zach Mort won his league-leading 13^th game of the season. David Washington homered in the seventh inning, his fourth consecutive game with a homer. Charleston’s Bobby Bradley hit his 29^th homer of the year, a solo shot in the fourth inning.

In the nightcap, Charleston scored four times in the in the fifth inning and posted a 4-3 win. Gastonia’s Eric De La Rosa hit an inside the park homer. Ricardo Gomez earned the win in relief for the Dirty Birds.

Lexington at Spire City, rained out

High Point at Southern Maryland, raind out