LAFAYETTE, IN. – The Fly Boys took a 5-4 loss down the wire with the final out being tagged at the plate in the bottom of the ninth. Mike Koszewski tried to tie the game in a last-ditch effort home, but the Mill Rat’s catcher sealed the deal in the collision at home. It was a disappointing ending to an exciting game.
The first two innings were scoreless but the Aviators got it started with two runs in the bottom of the third. Brandon Daniels hit a two-RBI single up the middle to send Craig and Johnson in for a 2-0 lead. The runs capped off a four-hit inning where the Aviators strung together four consecutive singles.
Both squads would rack up runs in the fifth inning. Johnstown tied the 2-2 after a leadoff walk rounded the bases, followed by three consecutive singles that drove in Casey. Lafayette would answer right back in the bottom of the inning when two plays in the infield trickled in a pair of runs. Johnson scored his second run of the night after tagging home on a double-play, and Craig tacked on his second score with an error by Corl, the first baseman.
Johnstown would catapult into the lead in the top of the eighth inning thanks to two hits for three runs, including a two-RBI triple. Chase Cromer hit a groundball past the first baseman that rolled all the way down the right-field line, it took a detour into the Aviator equipment room that allowed Cromer to pump the brakes at third, while Carlo and Capobianco rounded the bases. Finally, a wild pitch from Nick Yeager would bring in Cromer for the winning run. Lafayette had the walk-off run on second in the bottom of the ninth, but the flyout and play at home sealed the 5-4 decision.
Lafayette falls back to .500 (11-11) and drops just their third game at home. They will play Johnstown in a rematch tomorrow, June 25, for the fourth of a six-game homestand. First pitch will be thrown at 7:00 p.m. EST
