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Potters Outlast Crabs in 11-Inning Thriller

Game two of a three-game series between the Humboldt Crabs and the Lincoln Potters began on Wednesday night at McBean stadium, and a quiet pitcher’s duel quickly turned into the game of the year so far this season, as the Potters would finally pull away in extras by a score of 5-4.

The Potters offense got rolling quickly in their first trip to the plate, capitalizing on a two-run triple from Sean White to take the lead early. That 2-0 score would hold until the bottom of the fifth, a time in which only four hits were recorded from both teams, as starting pitchers Logan Saloman and Ryan Castillo both cruised through the second, third, and fourth innings for the Crabs and Potters respectively.

The offense would return in the top of the fifth, this time in favor of the Humboldt Crabs, as they would sent eight men to the plate and score four runs to take a two-run lead. Second baseman Jett Ruby’s RBI double would clinch the Humboldt lead, one they would hold on to until the ninth. 

The Potters offense would not go quietly however, as a Zach Chamizo single in the sixth would make it a one-run ballgame. The sixth inning also featured a special send-off for two part-time Potters, as Tripp Garrish and TJ Oster were honored with a standing ovation in their final game with the Potters. Garrish and Oster spent their three-week off time as members of the Potters, and they will now return back for duty as part of the United States Air Force Academy.

In the ninth inning, down by just a run, the Potters would rally and send six men to the plate, putting several runners in scoring position and taking advantage of a wild pitch, one that would score JR Freethy who represented the game’s tying run.

On the mound, the back end of the bullpen shined brightly, as Ken Blankenship and Nolan Thebiay would provide the final four innings of shutout baseball to keep Humboldt’s run total to just four. Blankenship would log a scoreless 8th, 9th, and 10th inning with two strikeouts to his name, before Nolan Thebiay would take over for the 11th inning. Thebiay would inherit a runner on second due to extra-inning rules, and quickly found himself in a bases-loaded jam with just one out. A strikeout and pop-up would follow to end the inning with no damage, sending all the momentum in the direction of the Potters. Thebiay would eventually earn the win, his first of the season.

A Cole Eaton infield single got the ball rolling for the Potters, putting men on first and third with no outs. Hudson Brown followed at the plate, and after being intentionally walked in his last at-bat, he would come through in extras, sending a sacrifice fly into left field that would score Cade Parker for the game’s winning run.

The final game of this three-game set against the Humboldt Crabs is set for Thursday night at 6:35pm, as the Potters will go for a sweep and look to stay undefeated in league play.