Crushers Crank Five Homers, Pummel Mud Monsters 16-6 to Win Series

by Zane Bloom

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Zane Bloom, zbloom@lecrushers.com

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Crushers Crank Five Homers, Pummel Mud Monsters 16-6 to Win Series



Avon, OH - May 17, 2026 - The Lake Erie Crushers (4-5) finished off the opening homestand on a very high note, washing away the Mississippi Mud Monsters (4-5) in a 16-6 walloping. With the win, the Crushers clinched their first series victory of the 2026 campaign and are now 3-0 in series finales.


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The Mud Monsters got on the board in the top of the 1st on a passed ball, but the Crushers pounded back in the bottom of the 2nd with a ripping RBI single from RF Garret Pike to even the score at one.


Then, in the bottom of the 3rd, the Crushers scored a touchdown. Pike struck again with another RBI knock, then C Derek Vegas tucked a double just inside the third base line to bring in two more. SS Jarrod Watkins lifted a sacrifice fly to complete the touchdown, then 3B Pavin Parks notched an RBI single to kick the extra point. When the dust settled, the seven-run frame resulted in an 8-1 Crushers lead.


But even that wasn’t satisfying enough for the Lake Erie bats. DH Samuel Benjamin blasted the first pitch of the bottom of the 4th for his second homer of the season. Then, a few batters later, Derek Vegas got in on the home run party with an opposite-field three-run homer for his first of the year. Another crooked Crushers number, a four-spot, put the Crushers up 12-1 after four innings.


Mississippi put up a pair of runs in the top of the 5th to close the gaping hole ever so slightly, but then in the bottom of the 7th, new 1B Jacob Tobias launched the third Lake Erie homer of the afternoon, a two-run shot to the opposite field for his first professional homer. The two-touchdown performance by the Crushers meant a 14-3 lead.


Meanwhile, Crushers starter LHP Nathan Shinn was excellent on the mound. He turned in the longest Lake Erie start of the season, pitching into the 7th inning and putting up the first quality start of the season for the Crushers. Shinn’s final line: 6 ⅓ IP, 5 H, 3 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 9 K on 99 pitches.


LHP Branden Noriega did an excellent job out of the bullpen as well. He struck out four batters in his 1 ⅔ scoreless innings behind Shinn, giving some high quality innings to a depleted bullpen ahead of the Monday off-day.


In the bottom of the 8th, new 3B Jaidan Quinn hit an absolute moonshot off the light pole beyond right-center field for a homer, then Pavin Parks followed him up immediately with a back-to-back jack, adding on a safety for 16 Lake Erie runs on the board. Lake Erie’s five home runs are the most in a game since last season when the Grapes launched seven in Gateway.


The Mud Monsters kicked a garbage time field goal in the top of the 9th, plating three runs to add a little window dressing on the final score, but at the end of the day, the Crushers walked away with a 16-6 victory and a series win.


Nathan Shinn (1-1) was well-deserving of the win on Sunday afternoon. Big RHP Brenton Thiels (0-1) was tagged with the loss for the Mud Monsters.


Crushers Top Performers:

  • Nathan Shinn: 6 ⅓ IP, 5 H, 3 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 9 K, QS, Win

  • Derek Vegas: 3-for-5, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 2 R

  • Garret Pike: 3-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBI

  • Branden Noriega: 1 ⅔ IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K

  • Home Runs: Samuel Benjamin (2), Derek Vegas (1), Jacob Tobias (1), Jaidan Quinn (1), Pavin Parks (2)

For the first time in the 2026 season the Crushers will hit the highway for a six-game road trip. They’ll ship off to Joliet, Illinois to take on Slammers on Tuesday, May 19 at 11:05am EST. Games stream live and on-demand on HomeTeam Network. The Crushers will return home to Avon on May 26th at 6:30pm EST. Tickets start at just $8 and 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.