LAFAYETTE, IN. – A 2-1 decision gave the Aviators just their second home loss of the season. The Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp took the Fly Boys all the way down to the wire on Saturday night. The game started out slow, with neither team able to create any momentum. Lafayette opened up the game with three consecutive 1-2-3 innings, with the team’s 15th double play in the second inning.
Both squads went back-and-forth trading six hits in the first four innings of the game. Lafayette would end the scoring drought in the sixth inning when Nolan Tucker would knock in a run with a single into centerfield. Both starting pitchers would retire after six innings. Lafayette Aviator, Tyler Yotkewich, would surrender six hits and punch out two batters while Tucker Bougie would give up just four hits, one run, and three strikeouts for the Pistol Shrimp.
Illinois Valley would edge out the Aviators in the top of the eighth inning when the Pistol Shrimp secured three consecutive hits with a pair of singles and a double. Bougie and Witt would score the tying, and go-ahead runs to put the Shrimp up 2-1.
Lafayette wouldn’t quit despite the deficit. Relief pitcher and birthday boy, Nick Yeager, would come in for one inning in the top of the ninth and pitch out the side for three strikeouts. His efforts would go unrewarded after the Pistol Shrimp edged out the Fly Boys with two punch-outs in the bottom of the ninth.
The Aviators travel to Terre Haute to take on the Rex for game three of the King of the Wabash Ruoff Rivalry Series tomorrow, June 19th, with the first pitch coming at 4:30 p.m. EST. Lafayette will face the Pistol Shrimp again on Monday in a doubleheader.
