WALDORF, Md. – The rain finally washed away after the opening game of the Blue Crabs 2023 season was pushed back to today; the Crabs would play a doubleheader against the Lancaster Barnstormers on a Saturday.
The Barnstormers were the first team to scratch across a run after Joseph Carpenter hit a backside double off of Daryl Thompson, the pitcher of the year would work his way around danger and leave it at just one run.
In the next two innings, Southern Maryland got hot and capitalized on mistakes by their opponent. It all started with the Crabs loading up the bases and one line drive off the bat of Michael Wielansky into the sun to blind Trayvon Robinson to lose the ball and deflect off his glove as three runs crossed the plate by the error. David Harris drove in Wielansky a few batters later. Catcher Ryan Haug would blast a home run in the next frame to make it 5-1.
The Barnstormers tallied one run in back-to-back innings to cut back into the lead; in the bottom of the sixth, Southern Maryland scored three runs to put the nail in the coffin as the Crabs won 8-3, giving Daryl Thompson his 150th professional win.
Game two took a different turn, as Mitch Lambson and Jared Lakind exchanged scoreless frame after scoreless frame for the first half of the game. In the home half of the third, Wielansky drove in Ian Yetsko in a sacrifice fly and gave them an early lead. It was a triple from Wielansky that extended the lead 2-0.
Lambson carried a no-hitter for five innings until Andretty Cordero hit a solo blast; Jacques Pucheu and Andre Scrubb would wrap it up and give the Crabs a doubleheader sweep over the Barnstormers to start the year.
GAME #3
(Sunday, April 30) After a rainy morning, the Blue Crabs and the Barnstormers were slated to play the final game of the opening series. Southern Maryland pitched the left-hander Sandro Cabrera while Lancaster went with former Padre, Dom DiSabitino.
The Crabs wasted no time scoring, as second baseman Michael Wielansky hit his first home run of the year as it caught into the netting outside the pool in left field, they would score another from an Alex Crosby two out RBI single.
The top of the second would wash away the Blue Crabs bottom of the first, as shortstop Jake Hoover got a two-RBI single off the giant blue wall to tie it up. In the upper half of the fifth, Andretty Cordero drove a ball 398 feet to center as Sundberg made the catch, but motoring around third was Melvin Mercedes as he turned it into a two-RBI sacrifice fly and give Lancaster the lead 4-3.
The bottom of the seventh, trailing 5-3 after a Lancaster run in the top of the frame. After a leadoff walk to Wielansky, the Crabs got hot, as Braxton Lee and David Harris hit back-to-back doubles to tie the game 5-5. The Barnstormers turned to their bullpen with left-hander Brian Marconi to face Crosby. Crosby battled the southpaw, and finally got a fastball that he drove into left to give the home team the lead 6-5.
Isaac Mattson turned in his second scoreless appearance and got the hold in the eighth, and the closer Andre Scrubb shut down Lancaster in the ninth to secure saves in back-to-back games.
With the win the Crabs sweep the Barnstormers to open the 2023 season, they will carry their 3-0 start against the Gastonia Honey Hunters who are also coming off a sweep of their own.
The Blue Crabs go for the series sweep tomorrow, with the first pitch coming at 2:05; you can buy Tickets here or stream all games on FloSports.
About the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
The Blue Crabs play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, MLB’s Premiere Partner League. The Blue Crabs are set to kick off their 15th season of baseball and will have their 2023 Opening Day on Friday, April 28th at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf, Maryland. For more information on the Blue Crabs, please call 301-638-9788 or visit http://www.somdbluecrabs.com for more information. For media requests, contact Steve Bowen at 301-638-9788 ext. 216 or at sbowen@somdbluecrabs.com
About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)
Celebrating its 25th Anniversary season in 2023, the Atlantic League is Major League Baseball’s first Professional Partner League, a player gateway to the major leagues, and a leader in baseball innovation. ALPB has sent over 1,200 players to MLB organizations while drawing more than 45 million fans to its family-friendly ballparks throughout its 25-year history. Please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com
