The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Sugar Land, Texas- The Somerset Patriots (19-12, 54-40) fell 3-2 to the Sugar Land Skeeters (21-9, 62-31) in 11 innings Friday night at Constellation Field.
Sugar Land’s Konner Wade and Somerset’s Vince Molesky boasted an impressive pitchers’ duel that kept the game scoreless over its first six innings. The Patriots broke through in the top of the seventh on a Jayce Boyd (1) solo home run to left field. 
Molesky tossed a scoreless bottom of the seventh inning and finished the evening with seven shutout frames on just 69 pitches with five hits, no walks and four strikeouts.
The Skeeters took a brief lead in the bottom of the eighth inning on an Alvaro Rondon RBI single and a Javier Betancourt double paired that included a Justin Trapp fielding error in right field.
Somerset immediately answered in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game on a two-out, two-strike bloop RBI single from Trapp to right field. It marked the first time in two months that Skeeters’ closer Felipe Paulino had allowed a run.
The Patriots had opportunities to take the lead in both the 10th and 11th innings, but a one-out RBI single from Juan Silverio in the bottom of the 11th earned Sugar Land the 3-2 win.
Austin Adams (2-0) received the win after a scoreless inning of relief. Zech Zinicola (0-4) suffered the loss after he allowed an unearned run to score in one-third of an inning of relief in his Patriots debut.
The Patriots and Skeeters continue their seven-game series Saturday night. Somerset southpaw Duane Below (6-4, 4.11 ERA) takes the mound against Sugar Land lefty James Russell (6-3, 2.39 ERA). First pitch at Constellation Field is set for 6:05 p.m. CST (7:05 p.m. EST).
The 2018 Somerset Patriots Season presented by Ford continues on the road until Friday, August 17th when the Patriots return to TD Bank Ballpark for an 7:05 p.m. game against the York Revolution. The game includes a postgame fireworks show. For tickets, 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 38 million fans have attended Atlantic League games and more than 900 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.
For more information, please visit www.atlanticleague.com.
