Somerset slips past Lancaster

Patriots clinch first-half title, 4-2

Intelligencer Journal
Lancaster New Era

Jul 02, 2009 00:36 EST

Lancaster

By BURT WILSON, Staff Writer

The Lancaster Barnstormers lost a 4-2 game to the Somerset Patriots Wednesday night that was played in rain from the seventh inning until the end of the contest. With the win, Somerset clinched the Freedom Division's first-half championship.

There was no celebration for the Patriots, who walked off the field like it was just another win. The premier franchise in the league, Somerset has won the championship four times.

"It's nice to have a celebration, but we didn't win anything yet," Somerset manager Sparky Lyle said. "We just won the right to go to the playoffs."

Asked the secret to the franchise's success, Lyle said, "They (the players) find ways to get it done. I'm very proud of these guys. They come to the ballpark ready to play each night."

In the ninth, Lancaster had a chance to rally. The Barnstormers had runners at the corners with no one out but managed only one run. Ryan Sabatella, who doubled to lead off the inning, scored on a Ryan Mulhern ground out.

Lancaster took a 1-0 first-inning lead on a Michael Woods solo home run into the picnic area in right field.

But Somerset scored the game's next four runs, getting three in the second inning and another run in the fifth, off Lancaster starter Ben Fritz (3-4).

Jim Magrane (9-1) pitched seven innings to get the win for the Patriots. Magrane allowed six hits, struck out five and walked two.

Only one of the four runs Fritz surrendered was earned. Somerset scored three unearned runs in the second inning with the help of a Danny Bravo error. The Patriots added another run in the fifth on an RBI double by Matt Hagen.

Fritz gave up seven hits, struck out three and walked two in 6 2/3 innings.

Relievers Neal Musser and Nick Abel shut out the Patriots for the final 2 1/3 innings.

Bret Prinz pitched the ninth for his fourth save of the season and second of the series.

Notes: For the Patriots, it was their 10th win of a half-season title. They have five first-half and five second-half championships. In 2000 and 2001 they won both halves. … Quincy Foster left the game during an at-bat in the fifth inning with what appeared to be a wrist injury. … Fritz picked Matt Hagen off second to end the fifth inning. … Infielder Vic Gutierrez worked out for the Barnstormers on Wednesday and may sign with them in the near future. He hit .301 for Newark last season. He also played in the Atlantic League in 2004 for Atlantic City, Camden in 2005 and York and Newark in 2007.

E-mail: bwilson@lnpnews.com