LAKE ELSINORE – In an intense battle last Friday night, the Lake Elsinore Storm fell to the Inland Empire 66ers by a narrow score of 4-3 at The Diamond in Lake Elsinore.
Starting pitcher Ian Koenig took the mound for the Storm and delivered an impressive performance over five innings. He struck out five batters and allowed just two runs. However, the Storm’s offense managed to only put three runs on the board throughout the game.
All three of those runs came in a dramatic bottom of the fifth inning. The inning began with a hit-by-pitch and a single, followed by a balk and another hit-by-pitch, which loaded the bases for Leodalis De Vries. The 17-year-old phenom delivered a long sacrifice fly to left field, bringing in the first run. Brandon Butterworth then hit a double down the line that cleared the bullpen wall on the away side, driving in two more runs. Jack Costello walked, securing the final RBI of the inning.
This rally gave the Storm a temporary lead, but it was not enough to secure the win. The 66ers responded with two runs in the top of the seventh inning, reclaiming the lead. Yerry Landinez made his return to the Storm and pitched two scoreless innings, setting up a tense bottom of the ninth.
De Vries led off the final frame with a double that he crushed into center field. Butterworth then grounded out to the pitcher, but De Vries aggressively advanced to third and was called out on the tag. This play significantly dampened the Storm’s chances, and they managed only one additional hit, bringing their game total to six.
On Saturday night, the Storm aimed to balance the series scales but fell short in a 3-2 loss. However, they bounced back on Sunday with an explosive offensive performance, winning the game 10-4 and securing the final game of the series.
This week, the Storm will be on the road to take on Rancho Cucamonga before returning next week to face Modesto. Currently, the Storm hold a 27-21 record in the California League South Standings, placing them in third for the second half behind Visalia and Rancho Cucamonga, both with 28-20 records. Despite this, their strong first-half performance has already secured them a playoff spot. The Cal League playoffs are set to begin on September 12 at The Diamond in Lake Elsinore.
Check out the Valley News social media channels for opportunities to win tickets to games and visit www.stormbaseball.com for ticket info, promotions schedules and more. Article contributions made by Storm Multimedia Manager Justin Jett.
