Casper, Wyoming – The Fremont Moo dropped an 18-1 contest to the Casper Spuds in game three of the Independence League Baseball Association Championship Series, Friday night at Mike Lansing Field. With the loss, Fremont is on the brink of elimination as Casper leads the best-of-five series two games to one.
In the top of the first, Casper’s Elijah Reeves led off the inning with a walk against Fremont starter Bobby Simmons. A wild pitch moved Reeves to second. Two batters later, Kenny Jackson hit an rbi single, scoring Reeves, to make it 1-0.
The Moo tied the game in the top of the third. With one out, Fremont’s Trey Brooks doubled off Casper starter Ty Vollmer. Then, Josh Blount was hit by a pitch. The next batter, Carter Sintek, singled, scoring Brooks, to make it a 1-1 game.
Casper responded and did not look back. In the bottom of the third, Dylan Schlotterback led off with a walk. Two batters later, Chase Burke singled. Then, a wild pitch advanced the runners into scoring position. The next batter, Wesley Flatt, hit a two-rbi single, scoring Schlotterback and Burke, to make it 3-1, Casper.
The Spuds added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Dylan Schlotterback drew a walk. Two batters later, Josh Phillips did the same. Then, Chase Burke singled, scoring Schlotterback, to make it 4-1. Wesley Flatt singled, plating Phillips, to make it 5-1. Then, Chandler Stocking reached on an error, scoring Burke, to put Casper ahead, 6-1.
Casper sent ten batters to the plate in the bottom of the fifth. Facing Fremont reliever Lucas Hamzeh, Casper’s Parker Burt singled. Then, Elijah Reeves drew a walk. Dylan Schlotterback did the same, to load the bases. The next batter, Kenny Jackson, hit a bases clearing triple, to make it 9-1. Two batters later, Chase Burke reached on a fielder’s choice. Then, Wesley Flatt doubled, scoring Burke, to make it 10-1.
In the sixth, The Spuds scored four more runs. Elijah Reeves led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. Dylan Schlotterback reached on a fielder’s choice, and a Moo error put runners at first and second. Kenny Jackson singled, scoring Reeves. Schlotterback stole third and an errant throw brought him home. Josh Phillips tripled. Then, two batters later, Wesley Flatt hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Phillips, to make it 14-1.
Casper added the final four runs of the night in the bottom of the seventh. Facing reliever Grant Wagner, Casper’s Matt Marsic doubled. Then, Parker Burt singled. Elijah Reeves was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Then, Dylan Schlotterback hit a bases clearing triple, to make it 18-1.
In the top of the ninth, Casper starter Ty Vollmer retired The Moo in order to end the game.
Casper (43-10) scored eighteen runs off seventeen hits and committed no errors. Fremont (34-21) scored one run off six hits and had three errors.
Spuds starter Ty Vollmer (7-1) earned the win. He pitched 9.0 innings, giving up one run off six hits, struck out two, walked one and hit one batter.
Fremont starter Bobby Simmons (4-1) took the loss. He pitched 4.0 innings, giving up six runs off eight hits, walked five, had two wild pitches and hit one batter. Lucas Hamzeh pitched 2.0 innings, giving up six earned runs off six hits, struck out one and walked two. Grant Wagner pitched 2.0 innings, giving up four runs off three hits, struck out one, walked one and hit one batter.
Offensively for Casper, Dylan Schlotterback was 1-for-3 with three rbi’s. Kenny Jackson was 3-for-6 and drove in five runs. Josh Phillips was 2-for-4. Chase Burke went 2-for-6. Wesley Flatt was 3-for-4 with five rbi’s. Matt Marsic was 3-for-3. Parker Burt was 2-for-6.
For Fremont, Carter Sintek was 2-for-4 with an rbi. Isaac Bonner was 2-for-4.
Game four of the ILB Championship Series is Saturday night. Casper leads the best-of-five series two games to one. If Casper wins Saturday, the Spuds will claim the title. If Fremont wins, game five will be played on Sunday.
First pitch of Game Four, Saturday, will be 7 p.m. (MT) / 8 p.m. (CT), at Mike Lansing Field, in Casper.
