Lake Erie Crushers Clinch Playoff Berth With Exciting Win

Despite improbable odds, the Lake Erie Crushers are in the Frontier League playoffs.

Joel Collins' two-run single in the 10th inning gave the Crushers a 3-1 win at Traverse City which eliminated the host Beach Bums from qualifying.

Lake Erie (51-44) finished second to Joliet (56-39) and will play the Slammers in the best-of-five Eastern Conference Finals. The series starts Wednesday and Thursday in Joliet. Game three will be played at the Crushers' on Saturday at 7:05 p.m.

Pinch-hitter Robby Kuzdale started the Crushers' winning rally. He singled off pitcher Scott Mueller's leg to open the 10th. With one out, Patrick Norris' double to left sent Kuzdale to third. Kulbacki was intentionally walked to load the bases, but Collins hit the first pitch to right, scoring Kuzdale and Norris.

Chris Allen (4-2) pitched a perfect ninth for the win, and Ruben Flores struck out two in a perfect 10th for his 21st save.

A 10-game winning streak in late July got the Crushers back into contention, and with solid pitching, they continued to make a late charge that almost came to an abrupt halt this weekend.

Traverse City won the first game of the showdown series Friday night. That meant the Crushers had to win the final two games of the season to advance. The Crushers won Saturday night, 4-3, to set up the final-game showdown.

On Sunday, Crushers starter Josh Roberts worked seven shutout innings. The Beach Bums loaded the bases against him in the second, but Roberts fielded a grounder to start a home-to-first double play and got the next batter on a fly ball to right.

Lake Erie took a 1-0 lead in the top of the seventh. Jason Taylor hit a leadoff double and scored on a single by Kellen Kulbacki. The Beach Bums tied in in the eighth on a homer by Jeff Flagg off Crushers reliever Travis Risser.

Flagg made the final out, lifting a fly ball to Kulbacki to end it, and the Crushers celebrated their third consecutive playoff berth.

Lake Erie manager John Massarelli hopes to have all-star infielder Andrew Davis back for the playoffs. Davis missed the final two games with a foot injury. The former Kent State star finished second in the league in batting (.339) and RBI (87), and hit a team-high 12 homers.

The Crushers are seeking their second league championship in three years. They won it all in their inaugural season in Avon in 2009.

The winner of the Eastern Conference series will play for the Frontier League Championship against the winner of the Western Conference series between River City and Southern Illinois.

Playoff tickets go on sale Monday at the All Pro Freight Stadium box office. For information, call (440) 934-3636 or go to www.lakeeriecrushers.com.