June 12-14

Friday night baseball at The Clip as the Barnstormers hosted the Somerset Patriots in the second of a four-game series. The Patriots won the opener on Thursday, on this night they made it two straight. Dan Osterbrock started for the Stormers and fell behind 2-0 in the first, by the fourth inning Somerset led 7-0. The Stormers came alive in the eighth, two hits and a walk loaded the bases with none out. Dan Coury drew a walk to force home a run, Kevin Rivers followed with a grand slam onto the right-field picnic deck to bring the Barnstormers within two. The comeback would go no further, an insurance run for Somerset in the ninth brought the final score to 8-5. On Saturday Jenny and her mother were along for another fireworks night although as is always the case we were gone before they ever started. On this night the Patriots took a 1-0 lead in the second, in the bottom of the third Yusuke Kajimoto's RBI double scored Kevin Rivers to tie the score. That 1-1 tie carried into extra innings, in the bottom of the tenth former Atlanta Brave Brandon Jones singled and scored on Juan Apodaca's game-winning hit as the Stormers took it 2-1. Reading-area native Nate Reed started and worked seven innings, he was followed by Pete Andrelczyk for two innings and winning pitcher Scott Gracey for one. The series ended with a Patriots victory on Sunday afternoon but as is my wont I was absent. Some may talk about my distaste for day games but it's really very simple: sitting in the afternoon heat with the sun directly overhead and little opportunity for shade is not enjoyable. The ballclub is at home again from the 19th to the 25th. Take care, thanks for reading.