Tuesday, October 20, 2082
UH OH! CRYSTAL LAKE IS IN TROUBLE!
UNDERDOG KENWOOD WINS 2ND IN A ROW WITH STRONG PITCHING
Lightly-regarded Kenwood did it again. Strong pitching from Jordi Thornberry stumped favored Crystal Lake 4-3 for the second day in a row at the Skippers home park, Lakefront Park. Thornberry almost went the distance to pick up the win and move the Wildcats ahead two games to none. Now they are in command as the series switches to Kenwood and the Olde Towne Grounds for the next three games.
Thornberry (1-0/1.59 ERA), a 33-year-old 10-year journeyman, really stepped up and gave the Wildcats a critical start. In his stint he tossed 8 and two-thirds innings, held the Skippers to 2 earned runs and 5 hits with 4 Ks and no walks. This was Thornberry's first start in this year's playoff. He made 3 brief relief appearances against Hartsdale in the TU Title Series. After Crystal Lake cut the lead to 4-3 in the last of the 9th on Jake Osborne's (.278) 2-run blast and threatened with runners on first and second with 2 outs, Matty Mihalek put the Skippers away by retiring pinch hitter Buddy Bankhead (.250) on a deep fly ball to seal the victory.
Crystal Lake got on the scoreboard first in the 3rd frame on Ryan Corbin's (.304) two-bagger and a sac fly by Culver Jensen (.214). However, starter Rudi Rudelmeier couldn't hold the lead. Kenwood took a 2-1 lead in the 5th on a sacrifice fly by Ardell Armstrong (.250) and an RBI double by Kenny Sergeant (.304). The Wildcats boosted the margin to 4-2 in the 6th on an RBI grounder by John Bircher (.291) and a base hit by Ardell Armstrong.
