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In the midst of a three-game series with the 14-9 Sonoma Stompers, the 17-12 Lincoln Potters traveled to Arnold Field to take on the Stompers for the sixth time this season. After dropping game one in Lincoln by a final score of 10-1, the Potters looked to get back on track on the road.

Colin Reilly (Tulane University) made his first start for the Potters this season on Wednesday. In three prior relief outings, Reilly hasn’t allowed a run in 4 ⅓ innings. He also was credited with a win against the Solano Mudcats on June 18th. 

After the Potters went hitless in the top of the first, Reilly was immediately met with adversity in the bottom of the inning. With bases loaded and two outs, the Stompers walked in two runs. Reilly allowed five baserunners on only one base hit in the first inning. 

Right away, the Potters answered in the top of the second. Luke Lavin (Stanford University) belted his second home run of the season, tying the game in the process driving in Justin Olson (Austin Peay University). 

The Potters’ pitching staff has thinned significantly recently, including the losses of former CCL North Pitcher of the Week, Peyton Stumbo (University of Nevada), and ERA leader, Tonko Susac (University of Arizona). Looking to get the most out of his starter and with the game now tied, head coach Jon Peters stuck with Reilly moving forward and his decision definitely paid off. Reilly tossed three scoreless innings following the suspect first and kept the Potters in the game.

The middle innings were filled with little to no action. Logan Bell (Bowling Green State University), Devin Marton (University of Nevada), and Justin Still (University of New Mexico) shut down the Stompers offense in the fifth through eighth innings and the Potters failed to get a man past second base since the Luke Lavin home run in the second. 

That was until the ninth inning. With the score still locked at two, Tyler Gerety (University of Kansas) and Luke Odden (Georgia Southern University) brought in three runs on back-to-back hits, giving the Potters a huge lead with only three outs to go. In Odden’s three prior plate appearances that night, he walked three times.

The Potters elected to stick with Justin Still in the ninth. At one point, the Potters lead by three with two outs in the ninth with only one Stomper on base. From that point, Still walked three straight batters, one of which scored. Sebastian Kirchner (University of New Mexico) relieved Still in the ninth and gave up a walk-off double on his second pitch.

While the Potters are down 0-2 in the series to the Stompers, their season record with their CCL rivals sits at 3-3, meaning the final game of the series on Thursday could have huge playoff implications. The Potters will look to get back on track at home after losing consecutive games for the first time since June 14th and 15th.