Frontier 
Lake Erie Crushers
ForeFront Field
Crushers Send Monsters Into the Mud Early, Come Out Victorious 11-5
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Zane Bloom, zbloom@lecrushers.com
910-777-3871
Crushers Send Monsters Into the Mud Early, Come Out Victorious 11-5
Pearl, MS - June 25, 2026 - The Lake Erie Crushers (19-23) scored crooked numbers in each of the first three innings on Thursday night to bury the Mississippi Mud Monsters (16-26) early. The Crushers won 11-5 and took the third game of the six-game set in Pearl.
Just like on Wednesday night, Lake Erie got on the board before the Mud Monsters even recorded an out. 3B Pavin Parks sliced a two-RBI double into the left-center gap to plate the first two runs in the top of the 1st.
Then with two outs in the 2nd, C Derek Vegas slammed a ball over the left field wall for a two-run homer, his third of the season to double Lake Erie’s lead, 4-0.
The Crushers added on five more runs in the 3rd highlighted by an RBI walk for 2B Luis Acevedo, a two-RBI single from SS Jarrod Watkins, and an RBI single from DH Samuel Benjamin.
A solo home run from Jarrod Watkins in the 5th tightroped the right field line for his fourth blast of the season, and he made it a 10-piece nugget for the second straight night in Mississippi.
LHP Brandon Scott was fantastic through four innings coming off his best start of the season last Friday, but he ran into a snag walking four batters in the bottom of the 5th. CF Brayland Skinner and RF Kasten Furr knocked RBI singles and the Mud Monsters put four runs on the board to make it a game again.
LHP Branden Noriega came in to get the final out of the 5th, striking out DH Samil De La Rosa to quell the continuously looming bases-loaded threat.
Lake Erie got back on the board with an RBI single from CF Joe Redfield in the top of the 7th, then Mississippi responded by scoring on a wild pitch in the bottom half to make it 11-5 Crushers.
From there, RHP Dawson Hargrove finished the job in the 8th and 9th innings with two scoreless innings to lock down the 11-5 victory for the Crushers.
Branden Noriega (3-0) got the win as the most effective reliever. Mississippi’s Eric Elliott (0-2) pitched just two innings in the loss.
Lake Erie is back in action in Mississippi for game four of six against the Mud Monsters tomorrow, June 26th at 7:30pm ET. The Crushers will return to ForeFront Field on Tuesday, June 30th, to start a nine-game homestand. First pitch against the Joliet Slammers is slated for 6:30 pm. Tickets are available at LECrushers.com.
For information on season ticket memberships visit lecrushers.com or call (440) 934-3636, and be sure to follow our socials @LECrushers on Instagram/Facebook/X.
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About the Lake Erie Crushers
The Lake Erie Crushers are a professional baseball team based in Avon, Ohio, just 18 miles west of Cleveland at ForeFront Field. They compete in the Frontier League, a proud MLB Partner League, and have brought a family-friendly, fan-oriented baseball experience to Northeast Ohio since 2009. As Lorain County’s only professional sports franchise, the Lake Erie Crushers are the largest economic driver in Lorain County, hosting more than 200 events per year that include over 50 baseball games, concerts, charity functions, and other events that bring the community of Avon together. Len Komoroski is the Crushers Chairman and Managing Partner, and the team is led by President Vic Gregovits. Jared Lemieux, a Maine Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, is in his fourth season as field manager.
