Miners Lose Series Opener To Rascals

From the Southern Illinois Miners

MARION, IL – The Southern Illinois Miners grabbed an early lead in the first inning on Friday night against the River City Rascals at Rent One Park, but saw the visitors score five unanswered runs and hold off a couple of late rally attempts in a 5-1 loss in the series opener.

In their first home game in nearly two weeks following the all-star break, Southern Illinois got the early advantage against River City starter Reese Gregory (6-3). Craig Massey and Brett Wiley led off the inning with singles, and after Nolan Earley walked to load the bases, Craig Massoni brought in the game’s first run with a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0 Southern Illinois.

But after Tyler Stubblefield retired the first six batters he faced, he ran into trouble in the third inning as after Braxton Martinez singled and Johnny Morales and Brandon Thomas both walked, Mike Jurgella’s ground-rule double brought home two and made the score 2-1 River City. A sacrifice fly by Josh Silver made it 3-1 after three innings.

Stubblefield (5-2) pitched into the fifth inning, striking out five in the game and allowing just four hits, but departed after walking the leadoff batter in the fifth. That batter eventually scored on an RBI single by Silver to extend the deficit to 4-1 before the Miners attempted a comeback. In the seventh, Romeo Cortina and London Lindley hit back-to-back leadoff singles to chase Gregory, and Massey moved the runners to second and third base with one out, but the Miners would strand the bases loaded in that inning.

In the eighth, after River City added another insurance run for a 5-1 lead, the Miners got their leadoff man on base on a walk by Massoni, but did not score, and in the ninth, a leadoff walk by Lindley followed by an infield hit from Massey put the tying run on deck. Southern Illinois also could not bring home a run in that instance and suffered the loss. Massey, Wiley and Lindley all had two hits on the night for the Miners, but Southern Illinois left 11 men on base in the game.

The Miners will look to even the series on Saturday night at 6:05 p.m., with Chris Washington taking the ball for Southern Illinois and former Miner Dan Ludwig opposing him for River City.

The Southern Illinois Miners are the 2016 Frontier League West Division Champions, the 2014 and 2015 Frontier League East Division Champions and the 2012 Frontier League Champions. They have been awarded the Frontier League Organization of the Year award three times since their inception, and also set a new Frontier League attendance record in 2007, their inaugural season. For ticket information, contact the Rent One Park box office at (618) 998-8499. For any additional information, visit our website at www.southernillinoisminers.com.

Box Score

Batting Stats

Batting
2B: M.Jurgella (13).
RBI: M.Jurgella 2 (32), J.Silver 2 (29), J.Ludy (17).
SF: J.Silver (4), J.Ludy (4).
SB: J.Kerrigan 2 (14), T.Love (4), J.Morales (8), B.Thomas 2 (25).
Team LOB: 5.

Fielding
A: M.Jurgella 4 (35), J.Silver (108), T.Love 3 (34), J.Morales 8 (153).
DP: 2 (T. Love(2B) – J. Morales(SS) – C. Freeman(1B),M. Jurgella(2B) – J. Morales(SS) – C. Freeman(1B)).
PO: M.Jurgella (249), P.Kronenfeld (1), J.Ludy 5 (123), C.Freeman 18 (404), J.Morales (69), B.Thomas (106).
SBA: J.Ludy 2 (23).
TC: M.Jurgella 5 (286), J.Silver (153), P.Kronenfeld (1), T.Love 3 (63), J.Ludy 5 (132), C.Freeman 18 (435), J.Morales 9 (228), B.Thomas (108).

Batting
RBI: C.Massoni (31).
SF: C.Massoni (2).
SB: B.Wiley (2), L.Lindley (13).
Team LOB: 11.

Fielding
A: C.Massey 5 (120), B.Wiley 4 (57).
DP: 1 (B. Wiley(2B) – C. Massey(SS) – A. Critelli(1B)).
PO: C.Massey 2 (84), B.Wiley 2 (41), N.Earley (88), A.Critelli 6 (69), B.Moore 9 (282), R.Cortina 4 (4), L.Lindley 3 (100).
SBA: B.Moore 6 (61).
TC: C.Massey 7 (207), B.Wiley 6 (106), N.Earley (92), A.Critelli 6 (76), B.Moore 9 (303), R.Cortina 4 (4), L.Lindley 3 (101).

Pitching Stats

River City
#	Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
34	Gregory, R	6.0	8	1	1	2	3	3.41
27	Zgardowski, J	1.0	0	0	0	1	2	1.69
17	Kennedy, N	1.0	0	0	0	1	0	3.28
35	Rynard, S	1.0	1	0	0	1	0	4.15
		9	9	1	1	5	5

Pitching
BF: R.Gregory 27, J.Zgardowski 4, N.Kennedy 4, S.Rynard 4.
P-S: R.Gregory 84-57, J.Zgardowski 22-13, N.Kennedy 12-7, S.Rynard 19-10

S Illinois
#	Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
38	Stubblefield, T	4.0	4	4	4	3	5	3.51
18	Sessions, C	3.0	1	0	0	0	2	4.80
40	Tinius, K	0.1	2	1	1	0	0	3.30
17	Gibbons, E	0.2	0	0	0	0	0	5.92
21	Dubsky, A	1.0	1	0	0	0	2	4.24
		9	8	5	5	3	9

Frontier League Transactions

July 14, 2017

EVANSVILLE OTTERS:  Activated RHP Randy McCurry from the injured list.
FLORENCE FREEDOM:  Placed RHP Evan Bickett on the 7-day injured list.  Placed RHP Zach Kirby on the 14-day injured list.
GATEWAY GRIZZLIES:  Signed INF Ramon Osuna.
JOLIET SLAMMERS:  Signed OF Brady Burzynski.
LAKE ERIE CRUSHERS:  Signed 1B Conner Simonetti.
RIVER CITY RASCALS:  Signed OF Paul Kronenfeld.
SCHAUMBURG BOOMERS:  Activated RHP Conrad Wozniak from the injured list.  Placed RHP Aryton Costa on the 7-day injured list.  Signed RHP Richard McWilliams and RHP Brandon Quintero.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS MINERS:  Placed OF Ryan Sluder on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to July 11.  Placed RHP Nick Palacious and OF Kurt Wertz, Jr. on the 14-day injured list, retroactive to July 11.  Signed OF Romeo Cortina and RHP Kyle Grana.
WINDY CITY THUNDERBOLTS:  Signed LHP Patrick Ledet.