Tri-City blasts Silver Creek, 15-6

Ben Swatsky leads the way with a 3-for-4, 2-homer, 5 RBI day to force a Game 5.

By Steve Smull

    SPRINGTOWN -- What a difference a day makes.

    After scoring a combined four runs in nine innings on Tuesday, the bats for both of these high-powered offenses were revved up and ready to go on Wednesday, as 21 runs crossed the plate in just six innings this time around.

    On Tuesday, you could cut the tension with a knife, as we had a barnburner that had fans on the edge of their seats.

    On Wednesday, the Fleetwings jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the top of the third, ending the competitive phase of the contest and turning the remainder of Game Four into a glorified scrimmage that saw Tri-City cruise to an easy 15-6 massacre and even the best-of-five Semifinals series at 2-2.

    The fifth and deciding game will be played at Scherersville at 5:45 on Thursday. Tickets are on sale now.

    Matt Marcks hit a cue-shot line-drive through the box with one out to get things started in the opening frame. After a passed ball, Justin Godusky followed with a harder-hit single through the middle to plate Marcks and it was 1-0 Fleetwings.

    Tri-City was just getting warmed up

    Ben Swatsky lofted a shallow fly ball to right. The Raiders did not have their normal right-fielder in the game in the first because Pat Higgins arrived late. So the Texas-leaguer by Swatsky (that arguably should have been caught, thus ending the first-inning scoring because the next batter struck out) fell for a single. As is usually the case in baseball, after the strikeout that could have ended the inning, Tri-City made the Raiders pay.

    Jeremy Arner slammed a two-run double to right-center, Tom Williams doubled to the same gap and Dave Toth smacked a RBI single up the middle and it was quickly 5-0 Fleetwings.

    They were far from finished.

    With two outs in the second inning, Justin Godusky worked a walk and Big Ben promptly launched a high fastball well out of the park for a 7-0 advantage. Eilenberger's evening was over early. In came Jose Medina. Matt Godusky fouled some tough pitches off before reaching on an error. Arner singled to center and Williams followed with an RBI single to center and it was 8-0 Fleetwings.

    Scott Garger walked to lead off the third inning. Marcks reached on an infield single, and after a strikeout, Swatsky this time launched a curveball to center that was well over the fence for a three-run shot and the rout was on, 11-0. Matt Godusky then singled to left and Arner singled off Medina's foot into shallow left for another single. Williams walked to load the bases and Toth grounded out, advancing all three runners 90 feet for a RBI and a 12-0 lead. Then Nick D'Amico finally joined the fun as he ripped a laser-beam down the left-field line for a two-run single.

    It was now a laugher. Fleetwings 14, Raiders 0. It was rumored that Al Davis was throwing a fit in the refreshment stand at this point.

    In reality, however, Raiders' skipper Dylan Dando huddled his beaten squad together after the third out and challenged his players to finish the game strong.

    And they did, but it was too little, too late.

    John Stezenko homered off the outstretched glove of Matt Marcks with one out in the third and it was 14-1. After a Joe Bubba walk and Jeremy Bartha double, Mark Nicholas grounded out to score Bubba and it was 14-2 Fleetwings.

    Pat Higgins launched a two-out solo shot to left in the fourth, and Stezenko blasted another homer just fair down the left-field line to start the fifth, cutting the lead to 14-4.

    After sleepwalking through a few innings, Tri-City would score their final run in the sixth. Justin Godusky walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. His brother Matt lined a RBI single to left to make it 15-4 Fleetwings.

    The Raiders got their final two runs in their half of the sixth.

   Medina laced a double to the fence in right-center to start the frame and Kevin Thompson followed that with a two-run homer to the same gap and after the umpires correctly halted the contest after the sixth due to darkness, we had our final: Fleetwings 15, Raiders 6.

    Swatsky finished 3-for-4 with two homers and 5 RBI, Williams was 3-for-3 with two doubles, Arner finished 3-for-5, Marcks 2-for-5 and Matt Godusky 2-for-4 for the Fleetwings (29-11). John Stezenko was 2-for-4 with two homers, Bubba was 2-for-3, Thompson was 2-for-3 with a homer and Pat Higgins also went yard for the Raiders (29-10).