LAFAYETTE, IN –
The Lafayette Aviators improved to 4-2 after defeating the Johnstown Mills Rats, 6-5, on Tuesday night. The game opened up with quick scoring in the first inning. Starting pitcher Nick Yeager surrendered a run from the leadoff hitter after an RBI single from Lukas Torres. Yeager closed the inning with his first of four strikeouts. The Aviators quickly answered the Mill Rats with four runs in the bottom of the first inning. A leadoff double put Grant Thoromon in scoring position. Thoromon, Tencza, Johnson, and Bickel would go on to score in the first inning totaling the Aviators’ four runs.
The next big action would come in the third inning when both teams put up a combined four runs. The Mill Rats led the inning off with three runs thanks to two leadoff walks and an RBI single from Sam Mast. Mast, Casey, and Beugeling would all touch home plate before the inning ended on a rundown that caught Chase Cromer in between second and third base.
Johnstown would add another tying run in the sixth inning when Makenzee Higuchi singled to left field and sent Joe Alcorn in for the score. The Mill Rats put up three hits and one run in the sixth inning, making it their most successful inning at the plate. The Lafayette Aviators reliever, Richie Cimpric, would eventually strand three runners in the field and escape a bases loaded jam while only allowing the tying run.
Finally, the Aviators scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning after Drew Behling led the inning off with the Fly Boys’ fourth triple of the season. While Behling sat at third, Ethan Bedgood hit a sacrifice fly ball to left field that sent Behling in for the score. The Aviators would close out the Mill Rats in the top of the ninth after Connor Fries came in to relieve Drew Switzer for one final inning. Fries recorded two strikeouts and nailed down the save.
The Aviators will play the Johnstown Mill Rats in a rematch tonight, June 8th, with the first pitch being thrown at 7:00 p.m. EST.
