Southern Maryland Blue Crabs’ starting pitcher Andrew Thurman fires to the plate in the top of the first inning of last Saturday’s home game against the Gastonia Ghost Peppers. Thurman departed with a 5-3 lead in the sixth, but the Ghost Peppers scored five times in the seventh en route to a 10-6 victory.
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs leadoff batter Jackson Loftin drives a pitch up the middle for a single in the bottom of the first inning of last Saturday’s home game against the Gastonia Ghost Peppers. Loftin and the Blue Crabs led 5-1 early, but the Ghost Peppers rallied for a 10-6 victory in that contest.
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs players line the protective railing outside the third base dugout prior to the start of last Saturday’s home game against the Gastonia Ghost Peppers. Southern Maryland led 5-1 early, but the Ghost Peppers rallied for a 10-6 victory in that contest.
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs’ starting pitcher Andrew Thurman fires to the plate in the top of the first inning of last Saturday’s home game against the Gastonia Ghost Peppers. Thurman departed with a 5-3 lead in the sixth, but the Ghost Peppers scored five times in the seventh en route to a 10-6 victory.
TED BLACK/Southern Maryland News
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs leadoff batter Jackson Loftin drives a pitch up the middle for a single in the bottom of the first inning of last Saturday’s home game against the Gastonia Ghost Peppers. Loftin and the Blue Crabs led 5-1 early, but the Ghost Peppers rallied for a 10-6 victory in that contest.
TED BLACK/Southern Maryland News
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs players line the protective railing outside the third base dugout prior to the start of last Saturday’s home game against the Gastonia Ghost Peppers. Southern Maryland led 5-1 early, but the Ghost Peppers rallied for a 10-6 victory in that contest.
After splitting four games in a recent road trip to Charleston, W.V., the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs returned home for an even briefer engagement with the Gastonia Ghost Peppers last weekend at Regency Furniture Stadium.
Southern Maryland (10-13 second half, 46-40 overall) endured a roller coaster ride during their brief, three-game set with the Ghost Peppers. After winning a close contest on Friday, the Blue Crabs committed four errors and allowed a 5-1 lead to slip away in the middle innings when suffering a 10-6 setback.
On Sunday afternoon, Southern Maryland never led as the Ghost Peppers broke open a tight game by scoring three runs in the seventh and added another in the eighth en route to a 6-1 victory. Southern Maryland starting pitcher Connor Overton allowed five runs, four earned, in 6 2/3 in his local debut but could not escape the seventh and took the loss on Sunday.
“Our bullpen has not been good,” Southern Maryland manager Stan Cliburn said. “Our stating pitching has been solid. Guys like Stemple and Thurman and Martin give us a chance to win every time out. But our bullpen has been giving up too many runs.”
One night earlier, Southern Maryland forged an early 5-1 lead by scoring two runs in the second and solo runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings. But starting pitcher Andrew Thurman could not escape the sixth, departing with a 5-3 lead. Joey Hennessey allowed one run in two-thirds of an inning, but the lead vanished in the seventh when Cody Thompson allowed five runs on two hits and three walks.
Oddly, Thompson had retired the first two Ghost Peppers before encountering serious trouble. Cole Roederer started the rally with a two-out triple then Thompson promptly walked the next three Gastonia batters to force in one run. Ethan Skender then completely reversed the course of the contest with a grand slam that vaulted the visitors to a 9-5 lead.
“That whole thing started with two outs,” Cliburn said. “Then one of their guys gets a triple and then it was three walks and then the grand slam. But it all stems from not throwing strikes. You have to make them put the ball in play. Those walks will always come back to haunt you.”
Then one night earlier in the Friday opener, Southern Maryland forged a 7-6 victory as leadoff batter Jackson Loftin went 3-for-5 and scored twice, Ethan Wilson went 2-for-5 and drove in three runs and Ryan McCarthy walked twice and scored twice. Starting pitcher Shawn Semple allowed five runs in seven innings, but reliever Brandon McCabe tossed a scoreless inning to collect the win and closer Andre Scrubb earned the save while allowing a run in the ninth.
After its brief home stand last weekend, Southern Maryland ventured to North Carolina for six games against the High Point Rockers through this Sunday, August 10 then the Blue Crabs will return home for three games against Lancaster Aug. 12-14 then three more against York Aug. 15-17.
