It was another Syracuse Spartans / Syracuse SaltCats matchup, fittingly on the 4th of July Monday evening for a 7pm first pitch. The Spartans took the field first, acting as the home team for the evening. Josh Martin earned his first starting role for the Spartans, usually acting as the closer. Jake Lanzer was the starting LHP for the Saltcats. It was a high scoring affair as the Spartans won, with a final score of 8-2. 

The Spartans had fielding trouble early. Despite keeping scoreless through the first few frames, errors from Noah Roots and Cole Rockwell extended otherwise quick innings for Josh Martin. 

Speaking of errors, the Saltcats’ Amani Jones and Jake Lnzer threw two errant balls towards first that allowed Bryce Moore and Pat May to roll into scoring position in the second inning, with only 1 out. A Cole Rockwell walk then loaded the bases for Matt Alexander. The Spartans then struck first with Alexander’s walk, walking in the first run. 

That brought up JC Ng once again with the bases loaded. After a Lanzer balk put in the second run, JC proceeded to walk, then loading the bases for Colin Williams with 1 out. Another error on a grounder to third drove in two more runs, with Bryce Richey curating the third error of the frame. Noah Roots walked, then Kyle Hoog flew out to score the 5th run of the inning. On a Bryce Moore single (again), Colin Williams raced around third and collided with Saltcats’ catcher Jacob Caruso, for the final out of a long inning. Colin Williams was then ejected, Charlie Burton came in for replacement. 

After 1 unearned run on 2 errors, Lanzer unfortunately had to leave the ballgame, having allowed 3 walks in that tough 2nd inning. He finished with 5 hits allowed total. That brought in Anthony Ortega from the bullpen, who was debuting because of an arm injury. James Schlegel opened up, scoring with an RBI single in Josh Martin’s 4th inning of work. The score was then 5-1 going into the bottom of the fourth. 

Aaron Sisto then followed with an RBI single. He shrunk the score to 5-2 going into the home half of the 5th inning. As for the Spartans, Jimmy Legg returned to previous condition before injury, reopening the scoring, driving in Bryce Moore with an RBI triple to right field. Pat may put on another with a double just afterward. After advancing to third on a Cole Rockwell single, JC Ng lined out to finish the frame. The score moved to 7-2 for the Spartans headed into sixth. 

LHP Josiah Ortiz then left the bullpen for the Saltcats in the 6th inning. The Spartans brought in Tyler Campbell for his debut out of the Spartans bullpen, in the 7th inning. 

The Spartans grabbed an extra run off an error from a fly to left field from Noah Roots, off the mitt of the Saltcats’ Zampella. 8-2 was the tally entering the final inning.

Your notable hitters for the 4th of July matchup: The Spartan’s offense was mainly produced on a three hit day from Bryce Moore, who scored 2 runs as well. In a lackluster day at the dish, the Saltcats’ Jake Schlegel was the only one to record an RBI through the first 8 innings, on a single in the 7th inning. 

The Spartans moved onto 13-10 on the season.

Spartans fans can also donate to help the Spartans Strike Out ALS by donating at tinyurl.com/strikeoutALS2022. Fans can donate through July 8 to the ALS Association of Upstate New York.