Eigsti = Hustler

By: Jake Levy

Jake Eigsti had three RBIs in his last twenty games entering Tuesday. The Riversharks had the fewest home runs in the league and the Lancaster Barnstormers, who were riding a seven-game winning streak, pitchers had allowed the least.

But the enigma that was Tuesday's midday contest between the Riversharks and Barnstormers saw Eigsti drive in three runs and the Riversharks hit four solo home runs in a 7-2 victory over Lancaster in the first of a three game series. The win is the third in a row for Camden and ties them with Bridgeport atop the Liberty Division for the second half.


Eigsti started the scoring in the second, driving in two with a bases loaded single to give Camden (3-1, 37-36) the early lead. Chris Walker followed up with a single of his own to make it 3-0.

Jaime Pedroza got Lancaster (3-1, 48-26) on the board with a solo home run in the bottom of the frame.

The Sharks responded with two of their home runs in the top of the third. Brian Burgamy and Pedro Feliz went back-to-back. For Burgamy, it was his first game of the second half. The homer was his lone hit of the day (1-for-4) and his first long ball since June 23. Feliz hit his second home run in four games and fourth on his young season. He now has seven RBIs in his last five games.

In the bottom of the third, Blake Gailen drove home Brad Boyer for Lancaster's second run, but that was all the damage they could do against Bryan Corey. In six innings of work, Corey (6-6) allowed the two runs on five hits without walking a batter and striking out five.

Corey needed to be good, facing off against the Freedom Division All-Star Game starting pitcher John Halama, who entered the game with the lowest ERA in the Atlantic League. Halama (5-6) put up zeros the next four innings, going seven frames while allowing the five runs on eight hits and a walk with four strikeouts.

Halama gave the Barnstormers a chance to fight back, but they couldn't solve Corey and the bullpen the rest of the way.

Raul Padron hit a solo shot in the eighth and Eigsti added his home run in the ninth to put Lancaster away, meanwhile Eddy Camacho, Josh Walter and Mariano Gomez each delivered a scoreless inning to close out the top hitting team in the Atlantic League.