Otters surge in middle innings past CornBelters

(WJBC File Photo)
(WJBC File Photo)

By WJBC Staff

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Normal CornBelters gave up three big innings and opened a road trip with an 9-2 loss to the Evansville Otters on Tuesday night at Bosse Field.

The CornBelters took the lead on the game’s first at-bat as Ty Morris homered over the right field wall.

The Otters used six straight hits in the fifth inning to take a 3-1 lead with RBIs coming on a base hit by Rolando Gomez, a double from Josh Allen and a single by John Schultz.

The hosts added three more in the sixth inning all after two were out on consecutive doubles by Julio Rodriguez and Chris Riopedre and a two-run double by Allen for a 6-1 advantage.

Evansville pushed their lead to 8-1 in the seventh inning on three singles and a walk with both runs scoring on a single to right by Rodriguez. A sacrifice fly in the eighth by Chris Breen was the final Otters tally.

Dillon Haupt lined a home run to left with two outs in the ninth for the final score.

Preston Olson (6-3) earned the complete-game win, surrendering two runs on six hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Chris Carmain (7-7) took the loss with five innings, giving up three earned runs on eight hits with three walks and one strikeout.

The series continues Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. at Bosse Field as the Belters send lefty Max Homick (4-4, 3.62 ERA) to the mound against Otters right-hander Matt Wivinis (2-0, 1.25). The game can be heard live on WJBC.com with the broadcast beginning at 6:20.

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