LAFAYETTE, IN. – Gyeongju Kim and the Lafayette Aviators both got a win on Thursday night by a decision of 6-3 over the Champion City Kings. Outstanding pitching and a pair of three-run innings allowed the Fly Boys to get back above .500. Kim opened up the game with a leadoff strikeout, his first of eight, on his way to his third win in as many starts. Lafayette’s defense would play stout all game stringing together four 1-2-3 innings.
Lafayette would jump out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Three singles from Bedgood, Snyder, and Behling would set the Aviators up, but Nolan Tucker, Tanner Craig, and Ethan Bedgood all scored unearned runs. Champion City hit an RBI single to the right side to drive in the King’s first score of the game.
The Fly Boys wouldn’t score another run until the sixth inning when they tacked on three more insurance runs. Drew Behling drove in Bedgood for his second run, and Mike Koszewski’s single up the center would knock in two more scores from Behling and Snyder, bringing the score 6-1.
Champion City would not fade away. A pair of Aviator errors allowed the Kings to chip away at the lead in the top of the eighth inning. An RBI double from Fultz and an error by the left fielder, Koszewski, allowed Fultz to run the bases and bring the score to a closer 6-3. The Aviator bullpen would seal the victory in the top of the ninth with Richie Cimpric one punch-out in three batters faced.
The Fly Boys improve to 11-10 with another home game tomorrow, June 23, against the Johnstown Mill Rats. First pitch is at 7:00 p.m. EST. The Aviators are 2-0 versus the Mill Rats.
