Waldorf, MD – On a sweltering hot Sunday afternoon at Regency Furniture Stadium, the Camden Riversharks, and the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs did battle in the rubber match of the series, with the Blue Crabs winning in walk off fashion by the final of 3-2.
Camden got on the board first in the top of the second as Norberto Susini doubled In Paddy Matera to make it 1-0 Camden. Southern Maryland answered with a run of their own on a sacrifice fly from Craig Maddox to tie the game at one.
In the bottom of the sixth, Jake Opitz led off the inning with a walk. Two batter later Craig Maddox singled to put two runners on for Anthony Vega who ripped a single to right to score Opitz to make it 2-1. Camden would tie it in the top of the seventh on a Michael Rockett RBI single to left.
Fast forward to the top of the ninth, the Riversharks had a chance to go ahead. A single by Susini, and an error committed by the pitcher Orlando Santos put two runners on base. Two batters later Brandon Chaves singled to load the bases. Santos would buckle down, and get Rockett to fly out to shallow right center, and Guzman to pop out to the short stop Frawley to send the game to the bottom of the ninth.
In the bottom of the frame, Anthony Vega led things off with a triple. Three batter later and two outs, Casey Stevenson looped a single to right field to score Vega, and win in by the 3-2 final. It was the fifth walk-off of the season for Southern Maryland.
LHP Wade Korpi started on the hill for the Blue Crabs, and pitching five innings, allowing just one run, while the right-hander Wes Torrez got the start for Camden, going seven innings allowing two runs, and not factoring in the decision. Southern Maryland pitching struck out ten Riversharks hitters combined.
Offensively, Anthony Vega had a great day for the Blue Crabs banging out three hits, two of them for Triples. Meanwhile for Camden, second baseman Zach MacPhee, and Daniel Rockett were both ejected from the ballgame for arguing with the homeplate umpire.
The Blue Crabs continue their seven game homestand with game one of a four game set Monday evening against the Bridgeport Bluefish. The first pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. The league leader in wins Jake Hale (9-3, 2.19) will start for Southern Maryland, while LHP Scott Maine (3-5, 5.11) will start for the Bluefish.
