The Ohio Kids Lead Browns in Shutout Win over Steelers

Avon, OH - July 11, 2025 - Yup, weird headline for sure, but trust me, it tracks. 

On Friday night in Washington, the Lake Erie Crushers (27-25) donned Cleveland Browns jerseys while the Washington Wild Things (30-25) sported black and gold Pittsburgh Steelers jerseys in a battle for the holy grail - AFC North bragging rights. The Crushers pitched and powered their way to a 5-0 win led fittingly by all three Ohio natives on the squad.

Warren native, RF Zach Campbell started the scoring for the Crushers with an RBI double in the 3rd against RHP Jordan DiValerio. He scored on a throwing error a few batters later, giving the Crushers a 2-0 lead on the road.

On the mound in Cleveland brown and orange, RHP Ethan Smith mowed down the Wild Things in his most effective start of the season. He stranded men in scoring position twice in the ballgame, but overall Washington couldn’t muster anything against Smith.

His final line: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K (ties a season high). It’s the second time Smith worked an excellent start against the Wild Things this season, and he put himself in line for the win.

Raging Cleveland Browns fan and Sheffield Village native LHP Kenny Pierson came on for the 6th inning and rolled an inning ending 4-6-3 double play to face the minimum wearing his beloved NFL team’s colors.

In the 7th, Zach Campbell struck again after a two-out single by LF Burle Dixon. He laced an RBI single out of the reach of the leaping shortstop to turn the safety to a field goal. Lake Erie led 3-0.

Then, Lagrange native RHP Brandyn Sittinger continued his torrid relief stretch by striking out four batters in two perfect innings. In his last 19 ⅔ innings, Sittinger has given up one hit, two walks, zero runs, and struck out 27 batters. Complete and utter domination.

In the 8th, 3B Jaidan Quinn was removed from the game after running into the left field side wall. He was favoring his knee and had to be helped to the locker room. Sam Franco replaced Quinn and immediately introduced himself to the game with a two-run homer in the 9th, his second of the season.

RHP Michael Brewer struck out two in a perfect 9th inning to secure the Lake Erie Browns shutout win over the Washington Steelers, 5-0. A field goal and a safety - the perfect combination of offense and defense.

Ethan Smith (4-4) snagged his second straight win against the Wild Things, and Jordan DiValerio (6-3) was pinned with his second straight loss against the Crushers in a rematch of June 24th’s pitching matchup.

The Crushers continue the series with the Wild Things (in normal baseball jerseys) tomorrow, July 12th at 7:05pm. Lake Erie will be back in action at home after the All-Star Break on Friday, July 18th at 7:05pm against the Evansville Otters at Crushers Stadium. 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 Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati markets!

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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.