After scoreless first and second innings, the Crushers scored the first run of the game as Kody Ruedisili hit into a fielder’s choice in the top of the third inning to give the Crushers a 1-0 lead.
The Otters had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the bottom of the third.
Making his first start as an Otter, outfielder Jake Gozzo reached first base on a dropped third strike call, as catcher Bryan DeLaRosa could not throw to first baseman Jake Veith in time after dropping the pitch from starter Jared Koenig.
With one out, David Cronin worked a walk, giving the Otters runners on first and second.
Keith Greishaber singled to make the bases loaded with one out and Ryan Long stepping to the dish.
Unfortunately, Long struck out for the first of two times in the evening, and a fly out by Mike Rizzitello ended the threat for the Otters.
Evansville stranded two runners in the fourth and fifth innings without a run scoring.
An RBI single by Ruedisili in the fifth and a solo home run by Emmanuel Marrero in the sixth gave the Crushers a 3-0 lead.
Otters starter Austin Nicely went seven innings, allowing three runs – two earned – on five hits. Nicely took the loss.
A solo home run by Lake Erie’s Aaron Hill in the eighth extended the Crushers’ lead to four.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Otters scored their first run of the game on a pinch-hit RBI single by Dakota Phillips, driving in Rizzitello to make the score 4-1.
Lake Erie would pull away in the top of the ninth to secure the win, sending 11 men to the plate, scoring five runs, including a three-run home run by Jake Veith, to give the Crushers their 9-1 advantage.
