The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Lancaster, Penn. – The Somerset Patriots (26-30, 69-58) split Sunday’s doubleheader with the Lancaster Barnstormers (32-25, 70-57) at Clipper Magazine Stadium. Lancaster took game one 2-0, while the Patriots salvaged the split with a 4-1 victory in game two.
The only two runs of game one came on a Cole Garner two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning. 
Joe Gardner (2-3) earned the win after tossing six scoreless innings. Efrain Nieves (3-5) took the loss after he yielded just two runs over six innings. Anthony Carter (29) earned the save with a scoreless ninth inning.
Somerset got on the board quickly in the first inning of game two. Justin Trapp (1) and Mark Minicozzi (7) both sent solo home runs over the right-center field fence, while Kyle Roller added an RBI groundout to provide a 3-0 lead.
Josh Bell later got the Barnstormers on the board with a solo home run to right-center field in the fifth inning. Kyle Roller responded in the next half inning with a solo home run to right field, extending Somerset’s lead back out to three.
Will Oliver (6-6) earned the win after he tossed a complete-game one-hitter with three walks and seven strikeouts. He faced just batters over the minimum.
“I was just trying to get ground balls today and let the defense do its thing,” said Oliver after the game. “You try to pitch the ballpark here with the short porch in right, so I tried to keep it on the ground. I got on the same page with [catcher Adam Donachie] and it worked out.”
Jarret Leverett (7-8) suffered the loss after he allowed three runs on five hits over four innings.
Somerset concludes its four-game series against Lancaster with a Labor Day matinee Monday. Right-handed pitcher Lucas Irvine (8-3, 3.90 ERA) takes the mound against Barnstormers’ southpaw Luis Gonzalez (0-1, 8.10 ERA). First pitch at Clipper Magazine Stadium is set for 3:00 p.m.
Tickets to the 2017 Somerset Patriots Season presented by Ford, which includes the team’s 20th Anniversary, are on sale now. For more information, stop by the ballpark, call (908) 252-0700, or visit www.somersetpatriots.com.
About The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)
The Atlantic League has been a leader in professional baseball and a gateway to Major League Baseball since 1998. Over 37 million fans have attended Atlantic League games and more than 800 players and 50 managers and coaches have joined MLB organizations directly from the ALPB. The Atlantic League emphasizes winning baseball games, showcasing the talent of top-caliber players and offering affordable family entertainment to metropolitan markets serving nearly 15% of the US population.
For more information, please visit www.atlanticleague.com.
