HOW WE GOT HERE: The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs defeated the Lancaster Barnstormers 3-1 in a best of series to win the Freedom Division Championship. Somerset beat the Long Island Ducks in game five of the Liberty Division Series on the back of Roy Merritt’s four hit complete game shutout.
GAME ONE: Southern Maryland defeated the Barnstormers 2-0 in game one, riding the performance of RHP Daryl Thompson who threw nine innings, allowing just two hits, and striking out 11. Jovan Rosa ripped a homerun, while Antone DeJesus drove in an insurance run late in the game with an RBI single.
GAME TWO: Lancaster defeated Southern Maryland by the final of 6-5. Anderson Feliz drove in five runs for Lancaster. The Crabs attempted to rally in the ninth by scoring three runs, but fell just short on the scoreboard.
GAME THREE: The series shifted to Southern Maryland with veteran RHP Jon Leicester toeing the rubber. Jon went six innings, allowing a run on five hits, and striking out six. The offense got things started early scoring four runs in the bottom of the first, capped off by Jamar Walton’s two run single. Southern Maryland added a run in the seventh and eighth on Casey Frawley’s solo homerun, and Craig Maddox RBI single to send Southern Maryland to the 6-1 victory.
GAME FOUR: After a two hour and two minute rain delay, The Blue Crabs and the Barnstormers got game four started at 8:37 P.M. With Lancaster on the brink of elimination, the Barnstormers sent RHP Shunsuke Watanabe to the mound. Southern Maryland scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the second on Keith Castillo’s sacrifice fly. In the home half of the fourth, with runners at the corners, Fred Lewis walked to the plate, and ripped a single to right center to allow Casey Frawley to cross home to score the game’s second run. RHP Tim Sexton pitched a phenomenal game, going 7.2 innings, allowing six hits, and striking out eight. The Blue Crabs put the game out of reach in the bottom of the seventh inning when the captain Casey Frawley drove a three run homerun over the wall in left field to cap off a four run inning and bring the score to its’ final of 6-0.
CRABS PLAYOFF HISTORY: Southern Maryland has earned participation in the Atlantic League playoffs six of the eight years the franchise has been in existence. The Blue Crabs are 12-18 all-time in franchise history in the playoffs, while having been to the Championship series only once before in 2009, losing to the Patriots.
CAPTAIN FRAWLEY: Infielder Casey Frawley banged out two homeruns over the wall in left in the Division Series. Overall, Casey drove in four runs, and scored four runs. Frawley will be playing in his seventh championship series in his professional career.
IT’S HOW YOU START: Southern Maryland’s starting pitching staff was on point in the Division Series. The combination of RHP Daryl Thompson, LHP Brian Burres, RHP Jon Leicester, and RHP Tim Sexton allowed just five earned runs, walking six, and striking out 31. The foursome combined to register an ERA of 1.55; the lowest ERA for a starting staff among playoff teams.
GAME ONE COVERAGE: Southern Maryland will travel to Somerset to take on the Somerset Patriots in game one of a best of five championship series Wednesday night (September 30th) at TD Bank Ballpark. The first pitch is set to be throw at 7:05. The Blue Crabs will be hosting a watch party on Wednesday, and Thursday evenings at Regency Furniture Stadium. Join Broadcaster Jim Tarabocchia as he brings you all the action on allinbroadcasting.com and youtube.com from series start to finish at the following links below.