Camden            – 010 200 000   – 3   7  2

S. Maryland     – 825 300 00X   -18 20 4

WP: I. Marshall (12-8)

LP: J. Hale (3-7)

S: N/A

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs faced off against the Camden Riversharks in what would be the final meeting between the two Liberty Division rivals in the 2013 Atlantic League Regular Season. After falling in the first two games of the series, the Blue Crabs clearly had had enough and couldn’t wait to erupt after waiting out an hour and forty-eight minute rain delay to begin the game. Twenty hits and eighteen runs later, the Blue Crabs put an exclamation point on their final inter-division match-up of the season as they won by a final of 18-3.

The big innings came early and often for the Blue Crabs as they shot right out of the starting gates for eight runs in the bottom of the first. After outfielders’ Donnie Webb and Sean Smith lead off the game with singles and stolen their way to second and third, 3B Nick Schwaner delivered a ground-rule double to begin the barrage. DH Ian Gac followed with a single to right to score Schwaner. After the Crabs had tallied two more runs in the inning, Webb would come to the plate again and delivered a bases-loaded double to bring the score to 7-0. Smith didn’t leave Webb on the bases as he singled to score Webb bringing the score to 8-0.

After putting up two runs in the second, thanks to Ian Gac’s solo home run, and five in the third, the Blue Crabs offense received another boost as LF Brian Barton blasted a two-run homer in the home-half of the fourth inning to give the Blue Crabs 18 total runs. They would not relinquish the lead as starter, Ian Marshall, threw five innings and allowed just three runs on five hits in earning the “W”.

The 18 runs are an Atlantic League Regular Season high for this season and the 20 hits are the second most in the Atlantic League this year. (Lancaster-21 hits vs. Somerset on May 6th). The three doubles for Donnie Webb also tied Prentice Redman of the Bridgeport Bluefish for the single game high of the season.

UP NEXT – The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs will aim to keep their bats hot when they welcome the Lancaster Barnstormers to Southern Maryland for their final series in the 2013 Atlantic League Regular Season. Game one versus the ‘stormers is slated to begin at 7:05 Friday night at Regency Furniture Stadium. To listen to the Blue Crabs tune in to www.phoenixintermedia.com. Fans can also purchase tickets by logging onto www.somdbluecrabs.com, calling 301-638-9788, or stopping by the Regency Furniture Stadium Box Office.

BLUE CRABS HIGHLIGHTS:

RF: D. Webb: 5-6, 4 RBI, 3 2B, 2 R, SB

CF: S. Smith: 3-6, 2 R, RBI, 2 SB

3B: N. Schwaner: 1-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B

DH: I. Gac: 2-2, 3 R, 2 RBI, HR, BB

2B: J. Opitz: 2-5, 3 R, 2B

C: J. Salas: 2-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, SF

LF: B. Barton: 2-3