Lancaster starter Eric Ackerman took one for the team Wednesday night.

The 'Stormers pitching staff was depleted as a result of Tuesday's 13-inning victory over Somerset. So despite an 8-0 deficit after two innings, Ackerman threw 7 1/3 innings in Lancaster's 11-2 loss in the rubber match of a three-game series with the Patriots.

Ackerman (3-5) threw 122 pitches, gave up 16 hits — the most ever by a Barnstormer pitcher — and all 11 runs. But he wanted to stay in the game.

"We were short on pitching," Lancaster manager Von Hayes said, "big-time short on pitching. He wanted to go eight innings. He even came in after the sixth inning and said 'Skip I got this through the eighth.' … I said, 'I appreciate that.' Sometimes guys have to take it for the team every once in a while."

"I wanted to go, just knowing that we were short, give my best effort, and today wasn't my best effort," Ackerman said. "I'm really disappointed in myself, and it's embarrassing. I let the team down and myself down."

Somerset scored three runs in the first inning, all after Lancaster failed to turn a double play that would have ended the frame.

After taking the flip from Danny Gonzalez, second baseman Juan Francia (who came off the disabled list before the game) sailed a throw by first baseman Matt LeCroy, allowing a run and extending the inning. The next batter, Vito Chiaravalloti, hit a two-run homer.

"We had a routine double play (that) didn't get turned and three runs out of that right out of the gate," Hayes said. "I think that kind of frustrated a lot of guys. It seemed like the energy level was a little deflated after that inning."

"I just didn't get settled in until the third," Ackerman said. "I was kind of shell-shocked after the second inning, when anything you throw gets pounded, and it was just one of those days.

"You know when you give the team an eight-spot in two innings, it's going to be hard to come back, and I was disappointed in myself and just had to refocus after the second inning. Today it was too little, too late."

After scoring 11 runs on Tuesday, the 'Stormers offense made little noise on Wednesday. Lancaster scored single runs in the fourth and sixth innings. LeCroy (who was 2-for-4 with two doubles) scored on a Kevin Kotch double in the fourth and a Jordan Herr double-play grounder in the sixth.

Kotch was 3-for-4 with two doubles. "He's swinging good," Hayes said of Kotch, who came to Lancaster from York June 25. "He's laying out some line drives, both against left-handers and right-handers. … He's got a lot of energy, and he's willing to learn. I think he could definitely help us."

For the Patriots, Chiaravalloti was 4-for-5 for the game and had two doubles in additon to his home run, which was his 14th. In the series, he hit .500 (7-for-14), with four homers and eight RBIs.

"Those guys have quite an offensive lineup," Hayes said. "Considering the two guys they have on the bench, (Josh) Pressley and (Michael) Ryan. … Right-handers and left-handers on their bench in case they're in a tight game and they've got to use some pinch-hitters. That's a pretty deep team. Pitching-wise, too. Maybe not their starting pitchers so much, but their bullpen's pretty darn good too."

Notes: Lancaster closer Jose Cabrera was suspended indefinitely and fined $1,000 by the Atlantic League for his part in the bench-clearing incident with Somerset on Tuesday. Cabrera was ejected for throwing a ball to the backstop behind Somerset batter Eliot Ayala. In the melee that followed, Cabrera threw a ball in anger that hit teammate D.J. Mattox. Keith Lupton, Lancaster Director of Baseball Operations, and Hayes are scheduled to meet with Cabrera on Friday to decide any discipline by the Barnstormers. … Joe Evans, a left-handed hitting middle infielder, is expected to join the Barnstormers today. He played college ball at Pepperdine, where he hit .222 in his final season. … Right-handed pitcher Jason Scobie, who was 37-44 with a 3.76 ERA in seven minor league seasons (mostly as a starter), is expected to be with the Barnstormers Monday or Tuesday. He has also pitched professionally in Korea.

E-mail: bwilson@lnpnews.com