Clarks Summit, PA- The Chargers needed a sweep of Baptist Bible College to lock up first place and to host the Regional Tournament later this week. A sweep was exactly what Lancaster got taking both games from the Defenders, 8-5 and 8-7.
Lou Curcio (Hatfield, PA) got the Chargers started in game one with a solo shot to start the second inning. Drew Tilley (Annville, PA) and Marcus Benner (Waldoboro, ME) kept Lancaster rolling reaching on a walk and error respectively. Three batters later Josh Chamberlain, who also scored, plated both runners with a two-out triple to right field to end the inning up 4-0.
With the exception of Tyrel Fuller’s solo home run in the third, the scoring was silent until the Defenders scored a run in the fifth to break up Steve Jacques’ (Norristown, PA) shut out. The Chargers added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh to take an 8-2 lead into the final half of the inning. Baptist added three runs of their own but it was too little, too late falling 8-5.
Steve Jacques recorded his first win of the season going five and a third with nine hits, two earned, and four strikeouts. Ben Bewley (Lancaster, PA) got credit for his first save of the year.
Game two was about the opposite with Chargers trailing 5-2 after five innings. In the sixth, Tilley and Jacques scored early to cut the deficit down to 5-4. With the bases loaded and one out freshman Brandon Boosz (Canton, OH) cleared the bases with a double to right field to go up 8-5. The Defenders added two runs in the sixth and seventh but the Chargers held on 8-7.
Josh Chamberlain went five and two-thirds with eight hits and four earned in his second win of the season. Curcio got the final four outs to record the save.
The Chargers will now host the East Region Tournament on Thursday the 30th. The schedule is as follows:
Game one 9:00 AM- #1 LBC vs. #4 PBU
Game two 12:00 PM- #2 BBC vs. #3 VFCC
Championship Game 3:00 PM- Winner of Game one vs. Winner of Game two