Slammers come up short looking for sweep
JOLIET, IL – Looking to further their division lead over the Thunderbolts, the Slammers hoped to secure a sweep as right hander Kipp Rollings took the mound for the Slammers. However, a 5 run offensive explosion in the top of the 7th by the Thunderbolts proved too much for the Slammers to overcome in an 8-4 defeat.
A single in the top of the second inning gave the Thunderbolts an early lead, but the slammers responded soon after with a sacrifice fly by Sean Green to bring in Tyler Depreta-Johnson, who singled to get on base.
Gerald Bautista came to the mound to relieve Rollings in the fifth inning, who only let in one run with 6 strikeouts. In 2.1 innings, Bautista let in a further 3 runs, leading to the Slammers bringing in Chris Roycroft, the rookie from Aurora University, with multiple runners on base. However, in the top of the seventh he let in two more earned runs.
The bottom of the seventh inning was a big inning for the Slammers as they came back to score 3 runs. A double by Tyler Depreta-Johnson drove in Braxton Davidson and Clayton Harp. A single by Lane Baremore brought in Depreta-Johnson.
Bradley VanAsdlen took the mound in the top of the 8th for the Slammers before exiting with 2 outs. Trevor Charpie came in for the final out of the inning. However, he relinquished two runs in the top of the ninth to make it 8-4.
Sean Green singled with two outs in the bottom of the ninth for the Slammers, but Lane Baremore grounded out to third base to end the game. Thunderbolts took back first place in the Central Division.
The Slammers’ record is now 5-5 on the season, now a half game behind the Bolts for first place in the Central Division.
The next home game will take place on Tuesday June 15th at 7:05 p.m against Équipe Québec. This will be the first game of a three game series.
