Crushers split with Grizzlies, stay tied for first place in division

AVON — Lake Erie took one step forward and one step back Wednesday night. The Crushers jumped over Gateway to a 9-5 win in Game 1, but fell 3-2 in extra innings in the second game at Mercy Health Stadium. The teams conclude their three-game series tonight at 7:05. The split means Lake Erie (23-20) remains tied with Schaumberg for the lead in the Frontier League Central Division. The Crushers' bats had no issues with Gateway (17-27) starter Drew Calvenna in Game 1, tagging him for eight of their 12 hits and eight of their nine runs. Lake Erie struck hard in the third when Javier Betancourt sent a shot to the center field wall and Connor Oliver scored all the way from first base. Two batters later, leadoff hitter Shawon Dunston Jr. brought Betancourt home with an opposite-field single past third. He reached base four times, going 3-of-4 with two runs. "I'm trying to see a good pitch and drive it," Dunston said. "I just want to get on as many times as I can and help the team win. I fee like if I do that we have a great chance to win the ballgame." Dunston was playing in his fifth game back from the disabled list with a hamstring strain. He did not start in Game 2. He pinch hit with two outs in the seventh and a runner on second, but struck out swinging. "I'm taking it day by day," Dunston said. "First game I was trying to get my feet wet still. So just getting started and reset, but I feel good now and just want to help the team win." Tyson Cronin had a solid outing for the Crushers, improving to 2-2 with seven strikeouts while allowing six hits, two walks and three earned runs. Gateway made things interesting in the seventh, loading the bases with nobody out, but Taylor Sugg came in and induced a double play to help Lake Erie limit the damage to two runs. Trevor Achenbach helped Lake Ere break the game open with two of his three RBIs in the second, his third coming on a solo home run in the fourth. He also helped the Crushers take an early lead in Game 2 when he reached second base on a throwing error by third baseman Connor Owings. Brody Wofford moved Achenbach over with a fielder's choice and Karl Ellison sacrificed him home with a fly ball to deep right, giving the Crushers a 1-0 lead. An Achenbach error extended the fourth, allowing the Grizzlies to score two unearned runs, but he shook it off in the Crushers half with a nice single that set Ellison up with runners at the corners. The catcher delivered his second RBI and tied the game at 2. Jake Pilarski started strong for Lake Erie, retiring eight of the first nine batters and facing the minimum through three thanks to a double play. He went five innings with two unearned runs on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts. Contact Chris Sweeney at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com. Follow him @CSweeneyCT on Twitter.