In a tight, well pitched ball game, the Evansville Otters dropped their opening game of the second half 1-0 to the Normal CornBelters on Friday night at The Corn Crib.
The Otters had an opportunity to break the scoreless deadlock in the seventh inning as they put their first two hitters of the inning on base. But three straight fly outs ended the threat for the Otters.
After seven innings of scoreless baseball, Normal finally broke through with the lone run of the game in the bottom of the eighth. With one out, Michael Baca doubled, the only extra base hit of the contest for either club. After advancing to third base on a fly out to right field, Baca scored when Santiago Chirino singled through the right side to put the CornBelters ahead 1-0.
In the ninth, the Otters got the tying run to second base with two outs, but Daniel Spingola grounded out to second base to end the game.
Anthony Herrera picked up the save for the CornBelters after throwing a scoreless ninth.
Otters starter Spencer Medick gets a no-decision after his best outing of the season with Evansville. Medick threw seven scoreless innings, striking out nine batters and allowing just two hits.
Normal starter Jacinto Garcia matched Medick pitch for pitch and received a no-decision as well. Garcia tossed seven shutout innings, allowing three hits.
Jonathon De Marte is credited with the win out of the bullpen for Normal as he threw a clean eighth inning.
Tyler Beardsley is hung with his third loss of the season after allowing one run in one inning of work.
The series will continue tomorrow evening when the two teams square off again at 7:05 p.m. at The Corn Crib.
