Somerset, NJ — The Somerset Patriots came into Friday’s ballgame boasting the lowest ERA in the Atlantic League, and lived up to the statistics, as they held Southern Maryland to just two hits.
In the top of the fourth, the Blue Crabs took the lead. Casey Stevenson led off the inning with a single. Stevenson then tagged up on a fly ball to second, and the next hitter Daryle Ward singled to score Stevenson to make it 1-0. The Patriots countered in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game. With one out Aharon Eggleston walked, and stole second base to get into scoring position. Eggleston then advanced to third base on the error by Gustavo Molina, and was driven in on a sacrifice fly by Thomas Neal to make it 1-1.
Fast forward to the bottom of the ninth, Aharon Eggleston banged a single to left. Two batters later, Scott Cousins lashed a single to score Eggleston to give the Patriots the 2-1 win in walk-off fashion.
The two teams combined for just seven hits, while Blue Crabs starter Daryl Thompson went 8.1 innings, allowing two runs, on five hits. Somerset starter Matt Zielinski went eight innings as well, allowing just two hits.
Game two of the three game series tomorrow scheduled for 7:05 P.M. RHP Brian Baker (2-4, 4.84) will start for Southern Maryland, and RHP Lucas Irvine (3-4, 2.34) will take the ball for Somerset.
WP: B. Boshers (3-0)
LP: D. Thompson (1-1)
TIME: 2:07