OPENING NIGHT HAS FAMILIAR “RING”

Lancaster Downs York, 7-2

For the second straight year, the Lancaster Barnstormers came off a tough season-opening road trip and played nearly perfect baseball against the York Revolution in the home opener.

While a far cry from 2022’s 23-7 pounding of the Revs, the Barnstormers utilitzed two Kelly Dugan homers and a four-run uprising in the sixth to defeat York, 7-2, to get the home schedule underway and win for the first time in the new season.

After the returning members of the 2022 championship team received their rings to begin the evening, Dugan drew a roar from the crowd of 5,195 with a towering, two-run drive to right center field off J.T. Hintzen (0-1) in the bottom of the first and added a monstrous solo blast in the seventh.

In the sixth, Hintzen departed after back-to-back one out walks.  Chris Proctor doubled off the wall in right center off lefty Tasker Strobel to create a 3-1 lead.  Jake Hoover followed with a two-run triple over the head of left fielder Alejandro Rivero to extend the cushion to 5-1.  Shawon Dunston, Jr. plopped a bunt down the third base line for a base hit as the lead grew to five.

Jacob Lemoine worked four innings, allowing one run on consecutive doubles by Rivero and Troy Stokes, Jr. in the fourth.  Andrew Lee (1-0) struck out five in two perfect innings to earn the win.

York struck on an infield single by Jalen Miller in the seventh.  Miller immediately stole second and third and would eventually score on a force play grounder by Alexis Pantoja.  Brian Marconi walked Trey Martin, but the Barnstormers would counter slugging right-hander Nellie Rodriguez with righty Mike Adams.  The move paid off with a three-pitch strikeout.

The two teams meet again at 6:30 on Wednesday evening.  Fans may tune into FloSports beginning at 6:25.

NOTES:  Ariel Sandoval has hit safely in all four games…He stole three bases on Tuesday night to lead the league with five…He is 7-for-12 at the plate…Dugan hit 10 homers off York pitching in slightly more than half a season in 2022…Hoover leads the club with five RBI…Lancaster pitching reached double digits in strikeouts for the second time in four games.