Miners Ride Ace, Bats To Blast CornBelters

by Jason Guerette June 8, 2015

written by Jason Guerette June 8, 2015

The Southern Illinois Miners took control early with four runs in the second inning and got another brilliant start by reigning Pitcher of the Year Matt Bywater that included a career-best 12 strikeouts in a big 10-2 win over the Normal CornBelters at The Corn Crib in Normal on Friday night.

The Miners threatened almost immediately against Normal starter Kevin Brahney (3-1), who walked Aaron Gates and Michael Earley to open the game. The Miners did not score that inning, but ended up getting four runs in the next frame. Niko Vasquez led off with a walk, and Toby DeMello later drove him in with an RBI single after Jon Minucci walked with two outs. Gates then reached on an infield hit to load the bases for Earley, who hit a deep fly ball to right-center field that dropped for a bases-clearing triple and a 4-0 Miners lead.

Meanwhile, Bywater (4-0) was unhittable. The left-hander struck out seven Normal hitters in just the first three frames, including a rare four-strikeout inning in the third when one of the hitters ended up reaching base on a wild pitch. The Miners gave him four more runs in the fifth inning. With one out, Frank Martinez extended his hitting streak to eight games with an infield single before Vasquez hit a two-run homer over the right-center field fence for a 6-1 lead. It was the Miners’ first home run since May 16th at Lake Erie and Vasquez’s first of the season.

Southern Illinois would tack on four more hits immediately after the long ball, with Steve Marino and DeMello picking up RBIs on a double and single, respectively, to chase Brahney and blow the game open. They would add two more runs in the seventh as Marino doubled before Minucci drove him in with his first career triple, followed by another sacrifice fly by DeMello for his third RBI of the game.

Bywater ended up pitching eight innings and striking out a career-best 12 batters, besting the 11 from his previous start against Joliet to improve to 4-0 on the season. Offensively, Minucci and Marino had three hits apiece while DeMello and Vasquez had a pair of hits, with DeMello and Earley driving in three runs each as the Miners tied a season-high with ten runs. Their 14 hits was one off their season-high as well as the Miners improved to 6-1 on the road.

They will go for the series win on Saturday at 6:35 p.m., with Ryan Brockett opposing Normal’s Chris Carmain.

The Southern Illinois Miners are the 2014 Frontier League East Division Champions and the 2012 Frontier League Champions. They have been awarded the Frontier League Organization of the Year award three times since their inception, and also set a new Frontier League attendance record in 2007, their inaugural season. For ticket information, contact the Rent One Park box office at 618-998-8499. For any additional information, visit our website at www.southernillinoisminers.com.

Jason Guerette

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2023 will also be Jason's ninth season in the Frontier League after spending 2014-21 in the same role with the Southern Illinois Miners. Overall, he has broadcasted close to 800 games in the league, including playoffs. During the baseball offseason, he serves as a play-by-play broadcaster for Manhattan College and the New Jersey Institute of Technology, with games being seen on ESPN+ among other platforms.

In addition to broadcasting, Jason works as a public address announcer for Seton Hall University women's basketball as well as Columbia University men's and women's basketball. He also spent nine years working "behind the scenes" as a freelance board operator and highlight editor at Westwood One for their coverage of the NFL, NCAA football, and NCAA basketball.

Jason graduated from Seton Hall in 2012 with B.A. in Communication Studies and a minor in Broadcasting & Visual Media.

Jason Guerette

Jason Guerette is the Grizzlies' Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations and the "Voice of the Grizzlies." 2023 will be his second season with the organization, handling lead broadcasting duties on the Grizzlies Media Network as well as being in charge of all team press releases and game-day media materials. 2023 will also be Jason's ninth season in the Frontier League after spending 2014-21 in the same role with the Southern Illinois Miners. Overall, he has broadcasted close to 800 games in the league, including playoffs. During the baseball offseason, he serves as a play-by-play broadcaster for Manhattan College and the New Jersey Institute of Technology, with games being seen on ESPN+ among other platforms. In addition to broadcasting, Jason works as a public address announcer for Seton Hall University women's basketball as well as Columbia University men's and women's basketball. He also spent nine years working "behind the scenes" as a freelance board operator and highlight editor at Westwood One for their coverage of the NFL, NCAA football, and NCAA basketball. Jason graduated from Seton Hall in 2012 with B.A. in Communication Studies and a minor in Broadcasting & Visual Media.

Miners Ride Ace, Bats To Blast CornBelters

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