Crushers fall to Windy City in last home game

In the final home game of the season, the Crushers’ offensive woes continued. The result was a 4-0 loss in front of 2,064 fans at Sprenger Stadium on fan appreciation night.

Lake Erie Manager Cameron Roth was disappointed the team couldn’t go out in a better way in front of the home crowd.

“We never want to play poorly, obviously. That is something, where, we go out here, and even if we are out of the playoffs, were not going to sit there and throw in the towel for anybody,” Roth said. “We’re going to go out there and try to perform and play well and these fans have been great to us ever since I came here June. 28,” Roth said.

Though there was a celebratory mood around the ballpark early, the ThunderBolts (50-43) quickly took control by making Crushers starting pitcher Peyton Lobdell (6-8) work hard during his first couple innings, including an 11-pitch at bat from Ransom LaLonde in the second inning.

Windy City’s patient atbats quickly culminated into runs, as Coco Johnson belted a triple and was quickly brought home by teammate Tim Zier’s sacrifice RBI.

Blair Beck added an RBI single in the second, quickly placing the ThunderBolts ahead, 2-0.

After opening the game with an L.J. Kalawaia single, Lake Erie’s offense struggled to muster anything against Windy City starting pitcher Clay Chapman (8-11). The righthander had all the right stuff on the evening, holding

the Crushers (43-50) to four hits and three walks, while striking out 11 in a complete-game shutout.

Roth was impressed by Chapman’s performance.

“Holy Smokes!” Roth said. “He did look good tonight. Tonight he was hunkered down.”

Chapman had his fair share of help, as his defense made a half-dozen great plays. In the fifth inning, first baseman Kyle Wood’s caught a liner and turned double play at first base. He followed that up by catching another bullet to first to record the third out.

Lake Erie was in trouble again in the top of the fifth, as Larry Balkwill took advantage of runners in scoring position by smacking a two-run liner into center field, scoring a pair for the ThunderBolts.

The Crushers wound up on the wrong side of history when Sean Hurley struck out swinging in the bottom of the sixth. It was Chapman’s six strikeout of the night, but unfortunately for Lake Erie it was their 841st strikeout on the season, breaking the previous record (840) for most strikeouts in a Frontier League season since 2010.

With his pitch count rising, Lobdell was pulled after 7 2/3 innings of work, allowing four runs, seven hits, three walks and striking out four.

Despite not receiving any run support, Roth felt Lobdell gave a good effort.

“To tell you the truth, I thought Lobdell threw the ball pretty well today. You just can’t put people on base with that lineup and expect to see the score down low. That is kind of what he did. He walked three, struck out four, but I think he has improved his last two starts,” Roth said.

Kalawaia, had two of the Crushers’ four hits on the night, going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles. Though he and his teammates fell short of giving the home fans one last win before the end of the season, Kalawaia, a first-year Crusher, believes Lake Erie can still finish the season strong.

“Everyone just has to go out with the same mindset and try to hit whatever they like to hit, you know. Whether it’s fastballs or breaking balls. But I think at this point everyone just kind of needs to stay in tune with their own self and not try to do too much,” Kalawaia said.

With his first season at the helm of the Crushers winding down, Roth wants to finish off on a high note. He believes in his players and staff, but knows that changes will come next season.

‘We have got the right group of guys in here. To me, as young men, they are irreplaceable. All of these guys and the staff are irreplaceable. I don’t look forward to replacing these guys, but if they kept picked up I will be happy for them,” Roth said.

Lake Erie will finish its season with a three-game series at the Joliet Slammers beginning on Sept. 1.

Continuing their donation of $20 for every strikeout from a Lake Erie pitcher, the Crushers collected another $120 to help Texas areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey through the American Red Cross.

With the recent donations, the Crushers have raised $3,040.