Scheurer Dazzles as Lake Erie Falls 6-4 to Jackals

Paterson, NJ - June 18, 2025 - The Lake Erie Crushers (17-16) came up short in a 6-4 loss to the New Jersey Jackals (12-22) on Wednesday night. The series pulls even with the rubber match set for Thursday night.

CF Dario Gomez lifted a sacrifice fly in the top of the 1st against LHP Alex Barker. Lake Erie’s early 1-0 lead held until the 3rd when the Jackals tied the game on an RBI double by 2B Luis Acevedo. Then, a throwing error by 3B Joey Wright with two outs allowed two unearned runs to score against RHP Ethan Smith. The Jackals led 3-1 after three frames.

The Crushers punched back in the 5th inning after Barker settled in nicely through the early innings. DH Scout Knotts laced a 2-RBI single through a drawn-in infield to knot the game at three.

The tie wouldn’t stick around for long, though, as the Jackals strung together three straight hits in the bottom half of the inning topped off by a 2-RBI double by LF Jake DeLeo. Once again, the Jackals took a two run lead, 5-3.

On the year, all 11 Jackals wins entering Wednesday had come when New Jersey was leading after five innings. Dario Gomez tried to change that in the 6th. He led off the inning with a solo home run, his second as a Crusher, pulling Lake Erie back within a run.

Ethan Smith surrendered five runs (only three earned) in 4 ⅓ innings pitched with five strikeouts, and RHP Brandon Scheurer came in to try and give Lake Erie a chance in the late innings. He struck out the side in the 6th, then punched out the leadoff man in the 7th for his fourth straight K.

Unfortunately, Luis Acevedo cracked Scheurer for a solo home run after the former Bearcat struck out five of the six previous batters he faced. It was the first run Scheurer had surrendered in over seven innings of relief work to start his professional career, and it gave New Jersey a 6-4 lead, which would hold as the final score.

The Crushers offense couldn’t muster much against Alex Barker (3-3), who got the win in his third straight start going seven innings. Ethan Smith (2-3) received the loss. Jackals reliever RHP Anthony Leak (2) logged the save in a scoreless 9th.

The series with New Jersey concludes tomorrow at 6:35pm ET. The Crushers will return home Thursday, June 26th against the Washington Wild Things. Get tickets online at lakeeriecrushers.com.

Can’t join us at the ballpark? You can stream Crushers games home and away in 2025 on the brand new Frontier League streaming partner, HomeTeam Network or watch live on local television on Rock Entertainment Sports Network (RESN) in the Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati markets!

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Flexible 2025 Crushers ticket memberships are now on sale, giving fans the best experience on their terms and schedule. Plans start at $40 and include a priority selection of games, no ticket service fees, and the option of subscription-based payment plans. Fans can view more information at www.LakeErieCrushers.com.

Whether it’s a birthday celebration, youth sports night, corporate event, or family reunion, group outings with the Crushers offer great fan experiences and benefits, including reserved seating and special perks. Visit www.LakeErieCrushers.com/groups or call (440) 934-3636 for more information.

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About the Lake Erie Crushers

The Lake Erie Crushers are a professional baseball team that plays just 18 miles outside Cleveland at the 5,000 seat Crushers Stadium in Avon, Ohio. They compete in the Frontier League - a prestigious MLB Partner League. Since its founding in 2009, the Crushers have been dedicated to delivering exciting baseball and family-friendly entertainment to fans in Northeast Ohio.