Written by: Alex Brophy
LAFAYETTE, IN. – With the walk-off run sitting at first base, Tanner Craig blasted a fly ball into center field for the RBI-double giving the Aviators the 2-1 victory over the Normal Cornbelters. The Fly Boys controlled the ball game on the defensive end with a dominant performance from starting pitcher Gyeongju Kim.
The scoring wouldn’t start until the fourth inning when Cade Fitzpatrick’s sacrifice RBI drove in Ethan Bedgood for the 1-0 lead. Lafayette held the lead until Drew Switzer, the reliever, threw a wild pitch that sent Higgins in for the tying run in the top of the ninth inning. Lafayette would edge out the Cornbelters with the RBI-Double to walk off, but the true story of this game was the battle on the mound.
Kim and Gebbink both pitched phenomenal games for their respective teams. Gebbink went pitch-for-pitch with Kim ending his day with seven innings pitched, five hits, one run, and seven punch-outs in the 30 batters he faced. However, Kim had his most impressive outing of the season. He pitched seven complete innings only surrendering two hits, a walk, and a single-game record 10 punch-outs at the plate in just 91 pitches.
Because of the extra innings, neither starter would take on the win/loss. Instead, Lafayette’s Richie Cimpric, would improve to 1-0 and earn his second save of the summer. Normal’s reliever, Cobe Rogers will drop to 0-1.
Lafayette inches closer to .500 (15-16) and improve to 11-4 at Loeb Stadium. The Fly Boys are back in action tomorrow night, July 7th, against the Chillicothe Paints. First pitch is at 7:00 p.m. EST. Lafayette is 0-1 versus the Paints, who have the best record in the Prospect League (22-10).
