Frontier League

 

ThunderBolts end slide with 7-2 win

Bolts 7 Belters 2

CRESTWOOD, IL – The ThunderBolts scored three runs in the first inning to take a lead that they would not relinquish as they defeated the Normal CornBelters 7-2 in game one of a weekend series at Standard Bank Stadium Friday night.

Omar Obregon led off the bottom of the first inning with a double and came in to score the first run of the game when Tyler Straub reached on an error. Larry Balkwill followed with a two-run homer, his fourth of the year, to put the ThunderBolts (11-18) ahead 3-0.

Normal (11-18) bounced back with a run in the second inning on doubles from Joel Davis and Sammy Vega. They tightened the game further on an Andrew Godbold solo home run in the third. Tanner Lubach followed, trying to tie the score with back-to-back home runs, but Blair Beck jumped at the wall to rob Lubach and keep the Bolts ahead by a run.

The lead remained at one run until the eighth, when the Bolts put it away. Riley Krane walked and Obregon singled, setting up an RBI base hit for Tim Zier. After Straub walked to load the bases, Balkwill popped up on the infield. He was called out on an infield fly, but the ball dropped and Obregon scored. Axel Johnson’s two-run single put the game away.

Zac Westcott (2-4) pitched six innings and allowed two runs for the win and Jack Landwehr (0-2) took the loss despite allowing only two earned runs in five innings.

The ThunderBolts and CornBelters continue their series on Saturday evening, Johnny Cash Night at Standard Bank Stadium. The game will feature a pregame concert from June’s Got the Cash and postgame fireworks. Paddy Ledet (2-2, 3.16) gets the start for the Bolts against Normal’s Ryan Lawlor (0-0, 2.25) First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 and fans not in attendance can hear the broadcast through wcthunderbolts.com.

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