The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Waldorf, Maryland – The Somerset Patriots (17-10) plated five unanswered runs over the final three innings Friday night to top the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (6-21) 6-4 at Regency Furniture Stadium.
The Patriots jumped in front in the top of the first inning on an RBI infield single from Will Kengor. The Blue Crabs answered in the second on a two-out, two-run Charlie Valerio (2) home run to take the lead. 
Southern Maryland added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth on a Jon Griffin (4) two-run home run. The 4-1 Blue Crab lead would hold until a run-scoring double-play groundout from Mike Fransoso in the seventh trimmed the deficit to two.
The Patriots then tied up the game on a two-out rally in the top of the eighth. An Edwin Espinal single began the rally before Kengor lined an RBI triple down the right-field line and Michael Oilman short-hopped an RBI double off the center-field fence to tie the game at 4-4.
It was another two-out rally in the ninth that would get Somerset over the hump. With runners at second and third and two down, Espinal lined a two-run double just past the dive of Blue Crabs centerfielder Cory Vaughn to put the Patriots in front.
Southern Maryland went down quietly in the bottom of the ninth to finish off the night.
Zech Zinicola (3-1) earned the win with a scoreless inning of relief. Ryan Chaffee (0-4) yielded two runs over two-thirds of an inning to take the loss. Mike Antonini (10) tossed a scoreless ninth to earn the save.
The Patriots and Blue Crabs series continues Saturday night. Vince Molesky (1-0, 6.30 ERA) takes the mound for Somerset against Southern Maryland righty Brandon Cumpton (1-3, 4.34 ERA). First pitch at Regency Furniture Stadium is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
The 2019 Somerset Patriots Season presented by Ford will continue on the road until Tuesday, June 4th when the team returns to TD Bank Ballpark for a 7:05 pm game against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. For tickets, stop by the box office located at TD Bank Ballpark, call (908) 252-0700, or visit www.somersetpatriots.com.
