SYRACUSE TAKES BUFFALO 9-2

Buffalo, NY (May 30, 2019) - The Syracuse Mets continued their hot stretch of offense on Thursday morning in Buffalo with a 9-2 victory over the Buffalo Bisons. Five Mets players had multiple hits, including Rajai Davis, Rubén Tejada, and René Rivera who all had three hits.

Syracuse (27-25) quickly jumped out to a first-inning lead. Davis and Tejada singled. Rivera then walked, extending his on-base streak to 20 games. Travis Taijeron followed with a bases-loaded walk to bring home Davis for a 1-0 lead. With the bases still loaded, Dilson Herrera grounded out to short, scoring Tejada from third to push the lead to 2-0. From there, Luis Guillorme walked to reload the bases, and after a strikeout, Arismendy Alcantara singled to right field to score both Rivera and Taijeron for a 4-0 advantage. 

The Mets added to their lead in the second. Tejada singled with one out, and Rivera doubled. After Taijeron walked to load the bases, Herrera drove in his second run of the game, this time on a sacrifice fly to left field for a 5-0 lead. Guillorme followed with an RBI single to center to score Rivera, and extend the lead to 6-0.

Buffalo (21-28) got a run back in the bottom of the second on a Richard Ureña home run to right field, trimming the Syracuse lead to 6-1. That was Ureña’s first homer of the season.

Syracuse starting pitcher Chris Mazza was stellar for the Mets. In his first start since being named International League Pitcher of the Week for last week, Mazza allowed just one run and four hits in six innings on the mound with five strikeouts.

The Mets adding more runs in the sixth. Tejada singled to left, and Rivera followed with his fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot to left-center field for an 8-1 lead.

In the seventh, Alcantara doubled with one out. Then, in his first game back with Syracuse after his tenure with New York, Davis doubled with two outs to right field, scoring Alcantara and posting a ninth Mets run. 

The Bisons used back-to-back doubles to grab a second run in the bottom of the seventh. Andy Burns doubled with two outs, and Patrick Cantwell followed with a double to center to bring the Herd within seven, 9-2.

Syracuse continues its road trip Friday night, opening a three-game series at McCoy Stadium against the Pawtucket Red Sox. RHP Casey Coleman is scheduled to start for the Mets opposite RHP Teddy Stankiewicz for the PawSox. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.

U.S. Women’s Open Championship conducted by the USGA

Country Club of Charleston | Charleston, S.C. | May 30 – June 2, 2019

First-Round Notes

May 30, 2019

Course Setup: 35-36—71, 6,546 yards (Scoring averages: R1: 73.7244)

Quick Links:

• Leaderboard
• Transcripts
• USGA Online Media Center
• LPGA Online Media Center
• Monday Box

LEADERBOARD
	Player	To Par	Score
1	Mamiko Higa	-6	65
T2	Esther Henseleit	-5	66
T2	Gina Kim (a)	-5	66
4	Celine Boutier	-4	67

HIGA LEADS AFTER 18 HOLES AT U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN

Under sunny skies and temperatures that soared into the mid-90s, JLPGA star Mamiko Higa carded a bogey-free 6-under 65 on Thursday and sits atop the leaderboard after the first round of the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open Championship. The 25-year-old from Tokyo, playing in her first U.S. Women’s Open, tied for the third-lowest single round ever and set the mark for the best debut round in championship history.

“I didn't expect much here, to come here and play that well,” said Higa, who is the first Japanese player to lead the U.S. Women’s Open after 18 holes since 1993. “I came here on Saturday and since then, I not only golf, but I enjoy the life here. So I'll keep enjoying it and enjoying it, and just come in to the golf course, and I just enjoyed 18 holes today.”

This is not the first time Higa has enjoyed success at major championships. She tied for seventh in her major debut at the 2013 AIG Women’s British Open, while at the 2018 championship, she was never outside the top five en route to a tie for fourth.

Esther Henseleit and amateur Gina Kim sit tied for second at 66. Kim had one of the most exciting opening rounds of the championship. After blasting out from a greenside bunker for birdie at No. 17, the rising Duke University sophomore holed out at No. 8 from 140 yards for eagle. She then closed with a birdie to finish at 66 and tie for the lowest round by an amateur in championship history.

“It feels amazing. This is something I dreamed of as a little girl,” said Kim, who last week won the NCAA National Championship title with her Duke teammates. “So being able to finish out strong like that really shows me that I'm ready to be here and I'm definitely ready to do whatever I can to keep myself in it.”

Henseleit, a rookie on the Ladies European Tour, shot a bogey-free round in her major-championship debut.

France’s Celine Boutier sits in solo fourth at 67 and is the leading LPGA Tour player after 18 holes. Boutier, who in February became a Rolex First-Time Winner at the ISPS Handa Vic Open, made the turn at even-par but caught fire on the back nine, making birdies at five of the closing nine holes to jump up the leaderboard.

Defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn opened with a 1-over 72 and is tied for 43rd. She is joined there by Rolex Rankings No. 1 Jin Young Ko, who in April won the ANA Inspiration, the season’s first major championship.

KORDA SISTERS TIED FOR SEVENTH THROUGH 18 HOLES

Nelly and Jessica Korda both turned in 2-under 69s on Thursday at the U.S. Women’s Open, heading into the second round with a share of seventh with five other players. This week, the Korda sisters are playing in their fifth U.S. Women’s Open together (2013, 2016-2018).

“I didn’t think I would birdie [No. 11] at all this week,” said Nelly, who carded seven birdies against five bogeys in the first round. “It was definitely a roller coaster out there today. I was hitting it quite solid. I was flying it really far and I guess that’s how some of the bogeys happened because it was just unexpected how far I was hitting it.”

With the Korda sisters teeing off in opposite waves (Nelly was off at 8:17 a.m. while Jessica teed off at 1:51 p.m.), they were both joined by their parents, Petr and Regina, who walked 36 holes around a steamy Country Club of Charleston to support both of their daughters.

“We’ve always been opposites,” said Jessica, who carded three birdies and a bogey en route to her first-round 69. “Even regular LPGA events, we’re always opposites. So [my parents] walk 36 every time they come out. That’s a long walk.”

ESTHER HENSELEIT MAKES IMPRESSIVE START IN CHARLESTON

Ladies European Tour rookie Esther Henseleit turned in a first-round 66 on Thursday and sits just one stroke off the lead held by Mamiko Higa. Henseleit, a 20-year-old from Varel, Germany, is playing for just the second time on U.S. soil, having competed at the 2017 PING Junior Solheim Cup in Des Moines, Iowa. After carding a bogey-free 5-under 66 on Thursday, Henseleit is making an early mark at the U.S. Women’s Open.

“It’s a completely new experience for me to play here, and the grandstands are huge and very many people around, but I don’t feel like that it’s too much for me,” said Henseleit, who is making the first major appearance of her career. “I really like that. I really like to play in front of many people.”

Henseleit was the first alternate from the England sectional qualifying site, falling in a playoff to Hayley Davis. Almost a week later, she received a call that she had been added to the major field. And now, she improbably finds herself in early contention for major glory.

“I never imagined sitting here and doing this well,” said Henseleit. “I don’t feel any pressure because the field is so good, and I just want to do my best and continue my good play from the last week.”

NO. 11 WREAKING HAVOC AT CCC

It’s safe to say that Ben Hogan was not a great fan of the Country Club of Charleston’s famed No. 11. When asked his thoughts on the reverse Redan, he said, “what you need for that 11th hole is about five sticks of dynamite.” This week’s U.S. Women’s Open competitors might agree with the 64-time PGA Tour winner, as the vaunted hole has been the topic of much discussion and trepidation.

The hole certainly lived up to its reputation in Thursday’s first round, though a few players enjoyed success there. Jeongeun Lee hit a beautiful shot that rolled to just a foot shy of the hole, leading to a tap-in birdie. It was one of just 10 birdies on the day at No. 11, which also yielded 66 bogeys and nine double bogeys. It was the toughest hole on the course at 3.4744, nearly half a stroke over par.

PLAYER NOTES

Rolex Rankings No. 49 Mamiko Higa (65)

• Higa’s first-round 65 is the best round she has returned at an LPGA Tour event; she previously shot three 66s, most recently in the first round of the 2018 AIG Women’s British Open, where she ultimately finished tied for fourth
• Her 65 is tied for the third-lowest opening round in U.S. Women’s Open history; Helen Alfredsson shot a 63 in 1994 (the lowest round in championship history), while two players have returned 64s, most recently Mirim Lee at the 2016 championship
• She hit 10 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens, with 27 putts
• Higa is playing in her first U.S. Women’s Open
• This is Higa’s 12th LPGA start; she has top-10 finishes at the 2013 AIG Women’s British Open (T7), the 2013 Mizuno Classic (T3), the 2017 TOTO Japan Classic (T5) and the 2018 AIG Women’s British Open (T4)
• Higa is a full-time member of the JLPGA; she has five victories on that tour, including the 2019 Daikin Orchid Ladies Golf Tournament
• Higa is trying to become the second Japanese player to win a women’s major championship, joining Chako Higuchi, who won the 1977 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

Rolex Rankings No. 236 Esther Henseleit (66)

• She hit 11 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens, with 28 putts
• Henseleit is playing in her first U.S. Women’s Open; it is also her first LPGA event and first major appearance
• Henseleit is a full-time member of the Ladies European Tour, where she is in her rookie year; she has competed in eight LET events this year and has six top-10 finishes, with a best showing of second in the last two events, the La Reserva de Sotogrande and the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic

World Amateur Golf Rankings No. 50 Gina Kim (66)

• She hit 11 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens, with 27 putts
• Kim is playing in her second U.S. Women’s Open; she missed the cut in 2018
• Kim is a rising sophomore at Duke University; she is part of the Duke women’s golf team that last week won the NCAA National Championship title
• She was a semifinalist at the 2018 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship and competed in the 2019 Augusta National Women’s Amateur

ROLEX WOMEN’S WORLD GOLF RANKINGS PROJECTIONS

The top 24 Rolex Ranking players are in the field this week at the U.S. Women’s Open, and four of them have a mathematical chance to overtake Rolex Rankings World No. 1 Jin Young Ko (T43 after first round):

No. 2 Minjee Lee (T25 after first round)

• Win and have Jin Young Ko finish solo third or worse
• Solo second and have Jin Young Ko finish solo 19th or worse, Sung Hyun Park finish solo third or worse and Inbee Park does not win

No. 3 Sung Hyun Park (T25 after first round)

• Win and have Jin Young Ko finish solo third or worse
• Solo second and have Jin Young Ko finish solo 45th or worse, Minjee Lee finish solo third or worse, and Nasa Hataoka or Inbee Park do not win

No. 5 Nasa Hataoka (T43 after first round)

• Must win and have Jin Young Ko finish solo 23rd or worse and Minjee Lee finish solo third or worse

No. 7 Inbee Park (T14 after first round)

• Must win and have Jin Young Ko finish solo eighth or worse

There may be additional possibilities with tie scenarios and separate projection scenarios would be run to check. 

SOCIAL MEDIA - #DriveOn

Championship: @uswomensopen (Twitter); @usga (Instagram); #USWomensOpen

LPGA: @LPGA, @LPGAMedia (Twitter), @lpga_tour (Instagram)

TV TIMES (all times Eastern)

Friday, May 31	10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.	Second round, streaming coverage	USGA.org
	2:30-7:30 p.m.	Second round, broadcast coverage	FS1
	2:30-7:30 p.m.	Second round, featured group	USGA.org
Saturday, June 1	2-7 p.m.	Third round, broadcast coverage	Fox
	2-7 p.m.	Third round, featured group	USGA.org
Sunday, June 2	2-7 p.m.	Fourth round, broadcast coverage	Fox
	2-7 p.m.	Fourth round, featured group	USGA.org

CHAMPIONSHIP SCORING RECORDS

18 holes: 63, Helen Alfredsson, first round, 1994

36 holes: 132, Helen Alfredsson, 1994

54 holes: 201, Juli Inkster, 1999

72 holes: 272, Annika Sorenstam, 1996; Juli Inkster, 1999; In Gee Chun, 2015

Win #30 Comes in Classic Ponies Fashion

Richmond, VA – The Rumble Ponies scored five in the seventh on their way to a 9-4 win over the Richmond Flying Squirrels (17-32) to complete the three-game sweep at The Diamond. The Ponies win their 30^th game of the year (30-18) and are now a season-high 12 games over .500

Binghamton was down 3-2 heading into the top of the seventh. They then scored five runs on two Flying Squirrels errors, a wild pitch, along with an RBI double from Patrick Mazeika and an RBI single from Ali Sanchez.

Mazeika replaced Barrett Barnes, who was ejected arguing balls and strikes in the third inning. He finished 3-3 with three runs with a run scored and an RBI. Sanchez had a multi-hit and multi-RBI game for a second straight night, as he finished 3 for 5 with 2 RBI. Jason Krizan also was 2-4 with two runs scored.

Mickey Jannis started for the Ponies and ended up with the no-decision allowing 7 hits and 3 runs over 5 and a third innings, with one walk and seven strikeouts. Ryley Gilliam (2-0) got the win in relief.

Before Barnes was ejected, he had an RBI single to plate the first Ponies run in the first and two batters later Will Toffey drove home a run with a single to put the Ponies up 2-0 in the first.

The Ponies return home on Friday night to face the Portland Sea Dogs in a four-game series that spans three days. First pitch Friday night begins at 7:05 on Newsradio 1290 WNBF and on the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show begins at 6:50.

POSTGAME NOTES: The Rumble Ponies are now 21-8 on the road… They are also now 18-4 against the Western Division and 13-2 facing them on the road.

LEHIGH VALLEY IRONPIGS (27-23) @ SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE RED BARONS (28-20)

RHP Enyel De Los Santos (2-0, 2.37) vs. RHP Chance Adams (2-1, 4.80)

|  Game No. 49  |  PNC Field  |  Moosic, PA  |  May 31, 2019  |  First Pitch 6:35 p.m.  |

MOOSIC, PA (May 29, 2019) -- The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders utilized two strong pitching performances and timely hitting to sweep a Wednesday doubleheader from the Rochester Red Wings. The RailRiders have now won seven of their last eight games, including four straight at home.
Rochester took a 1-0 lead two pitches into game one when Nick Gordon connected for a leadoff home run against Brody Koerner. That would be the only blemish on the night for the RailRiders right-hander, who tossed 6.0 innings, allowing just one run on three hits, walking three and striking out three. SWB finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth against Red Wings RHP Randy Dobnak, who walked the bases loaded with two outs. Ryan Lavarnway delivered a bases-clearing, opposite-field single through the shift to give the RailRiders a 3-1 lead.
In the second game of the twin bill, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre seized the early advantage as Ryan McBroom connected for an opposite-field line drive home run in the bottom of the second. The Red Wings, however would retaliate with five runs in the top of the third as they sent nine batters to the plate. In the bottom of the sixth, the RailRiders edged closer against Ryan Eades, who allowed a leadoff single to Breyvic Valera. Two batters later, Tauchman launched a home run to center to cut the Rochester advantage to 5-4.

SWB provided some excitement in the bottom of the seventh when Brad Miller led off with a single and scored the tying run on a Tyler Wade single through the right side of a drawn-in infield to tie the game at 5-5. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the first extra-inning frame, the Red Wings decided to intentionally walk McBroom to load the bases for Miller who hit a ball hard to Jordanny Valdespin that kicked away for the walkoff win.
IL NORTH RIVALRY: The Lehigh Valley IronPigs come to PNC Field for the second time this season to take on Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The Philadelphia Phillies took off from the Scranton-area following the 2006 season and signed a one-year Player Development contract with the Ottawa Lynx in 2007 before Coca-Cola Park opened in 2008. A year ago, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (84-56, .600) won it’s first Division title as they won the IL North by 10.0 games over the RailRiders (73-65, .529) who still claimed a playoff spot by winning the Wild Card by 1.0 games over both the Columbus Clippers and Indianapolis Indians. The RailRiders won the first round playoff series between the two teams 3-1.
RAILREHABBERS: INF Didi Gregorius joins OF Aaron Hicks on the list of Yankees rehabbers for the RailRiders this season. In Game 1 of Wednesday’s doubleheader, Gregorius was 0-for-3 and played all seven innings at SS. A year ago, SWB had 10 different Yankees play games with them: Greg Bird (INF), A.J. Cole (P), Brandon Drury (INF), Clint Frazier (OF), Aaron Hicks (OF), Tommy Kahnle (P), Billy McKinney (OF), Gary Sanchez (C), Masahiro Tanaka (P), Adam Warren (P). In his two games with SWB before returning to New York, Hicks was 3-for-7 with 2 2B, HR, RBI, 4 R, BB, 1-for-1 SB.
CHANCE THE RESTER: RHP Chance Adams gets the ball for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Friday night against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. The last time that Adams pitched for the RailRiders was May 7 vs. Indianapolis. Since then he has made two appearances for the New York Yankees; May 19 against the Tampa Bay Rays (3.0 IP) and May 25 against the Kansas City Royals (4.0 IP). That means that Adams has thrown 120 pitches in live game action in the last 23 days as he gets ready for Friday’s series opener.
LOOKING FOR PITCHING: The last week has featured a 5-2 record for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, with a pair of losses sandwiched around five consecutive wins. During that time, the offense has carried the load for the RailRiders, averaging 9.3 runs per game (65 runs scored in 61 innings). The pitching has worked to a 6.97 ERA during that stretch, allowing 58R/48ER over 62.0 IP. Dating back a week prior, the SWB pitching staff has allowed fewer than four runs in a game just once of its last 14 nine-inning games.
ON-BASE STREAKS, EXTENDED: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre enters Thursday’s series finale against the Rochester Red Wings with a number of lengthy on-base streaks intact. Brad Miller (22G), Mike Ford (19G), Ryan Lavarnway (15G), Breyvic Valera (13G) and Mike Tauchman (10G) all have active double-digit streaks. Miller’s is the fourth-longest active streak in the league with Ford tied right behind him. Miller’s streak has now eclipsed Tampa Tarpons’ Diego Castillo who had a 20-game on-base streak from 4/14 - 5/7 as the longest streak in the Yankees MiLB this year.
WHAT A STRETCH: Early in the season, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders had their schedule broken up by a handful of postponements and suspensions due to weather -- seven over the first five weeks of the season. Though many of the games were made up the following day, it’s getting time to pay the piper over the next few weeks. Following Monday’s day-off, the RailRiders began a stretch Tuesday night against the Pawtucket Red Sox that features 23 games over 20 days before their next scheduled off day. All 23 games come against each of their five IL North Division rivals. They are currently 7-2 on this stretch.

BUFFALO EDGES SYRACUSE 6-4

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Luis Guillorme watches his home run ball fly out of the ballpark on Wednesday night in Buffalo (James Farrance).

Buffalo, NY (May 29, 2019) - The Syracuse Mets scored four runs on just two hits but ran out of fortune as the Buffalo Bisons used a four-run eighth inning to beat the Mets, 6-4, on Wednesday night at Sahlen Field. Both Syracuse hits were home runs, giving the Mets 28 homers in their last 14 games.

Syracuse (26-25) started the scoring in the top of third inning. David Thompson walked, moved to second on a groundout, to third on a wild pitch, and scored on an Arismendy Alcantara groundout to second for a 1-0 lead.

The Mets extended their lead in the fourth. Rubén Tejada hit the second pitch of the inning over the left-center field fence to push the lead to two. Three batters later, Dilson Herrera walked, and Luis Guillorme hit a two-run home run to extend the lead to 4-0.

Buffalo (21-27) started the comeback in the bottom sixth. Andy Burns doubled to start the inning and scored two batters later on Anthony Alford’s double. Alford moved to third on a passed ball and scored when Socrates Brito grounded out to cut the Mets advantage to two, 4-2.

Those were the only runs allowed by Syracuse starting pitcher Walker Lockett. In six innings pitched, the right-hander allowed three hits and only one earned run while striking out two batters and not giving up a walk.

The Herd completed the comeback in the eighth. Reese McGuire walked, and Burns singled. After a strikeout, Alford doubled to the center-field wall to score both runners and tie the game, 4-4. Then, Brito hit the first pitch he saw out of the ballpark for a two-run home run to center field, giving the Bisons a 6-4 lead.

Syracuse and Buffalo close out their three-game series on Thursday morning. RHP Chris Mazza is set to start for the Mets opposite LHP Ryan Feierabend for the Bisons. First pitch is scheduled for 10:35 a.m.

-- 

Krizan’s 9^th inning Heroics Lead to Victory Again

Richmond, VA – For the 2^nd straight night, Jason Krizan stepped to the plate with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (29-18) down to their last out and again he came through. This time, with the Ponies down 4-2, it was a two-run single that tied the game at four en route to a 9-5 10 inning victory over the Richmond Flying Squirrels (17-31) at The Diamond.

In the tenth inning, the Ponies plated five led by a go-ahead RBI single from Barrett Barnes, a two-run double from Mike Paez, an error by second basemen Jalen Miller, and Krizan then grounding into a fielder’s choice. On Tuesday night, Krizan with the Ponies down to their final out trailing 1-0, hit an RBI single to right that scored Will Toffey. The Ponies also went on to win that game 2-1 in the 10^th.

The Ponies trailed the Flying Squirrels 4-0 in this game heading into the sixth, before Ali Sanchez hit a two-run homer, his first of the year, that cut the deficit to two. The Ponies offense ended up scoring nine unanswered runs. The Binghamton bullpen also threw five and a third frames, allowing only one run (in the tenth), one hit, one walk, and five strikeouts.

Ponies lefty David Peterson allowed nine hits and four runs (three earned) over four and two thirds, with one walk and six strikeouts in the no-decision.

The Ponies go for the sweep of the Flying Squirrels on Thursday evening, with first pitch at 6:35 on Newsradio 1290 WNBF and on the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show starts at 6:20.

POSTGAME NOTES: The Ponies are now 20-8 on the road and a season-high 11 game over .500…Ponies are also now 17-4 against the Western Division and 12-2 facing them on the road…Andres Gimenez and Sam Haggerty both extended their hit streaks to 7 games…Binghamton with back-to-back wins in ten innings are now 5-1 in extra-inning contests on the year.

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE RAILRIDERS GAME REPORT

Game 1: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 3  -  Rochester  1 (7)

Game 2: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 6  -  Rochester  5 (8) 

RailRiders improve to a season-best eight games above .500 with doubleheader sweep

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MOOSIC, PA (May 29-30, 2019) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders utilized two strong pitching performances and timely hitting to sweep a Wednesday doubleheader from the Rochester Red Wings. The RailRiders have now won seven of their last eight games, including four straight at home.
Rochester took a 1-0 lead two pitches into game one when Nick Gordon connected for a leadoff home run against Brody Koerner. That would be the only blemish on the night for the RailRiders right-hander, who tossed 6.0 innings, allowing just one run on three hits, walking three and striking out three.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth against Red Wings right-hander Randy Dobnak, who walked the bases loaded with two outs. Ryan Lavarnway delivered a bases-clearing, opposite-field single through the shift to give the RailRiders a 3-1 lead.
Stephen Tarpley closed the game for the RailRiders, working around a two-out infield single to record his first save of the season.
In the second game of the twin bill, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre seized the early advantage as Ryan McBroom connected for an opposite-field line drive home run in the bottom of the second. The Red Wings, however would retaliate with five runs in the top of the third as they sent nine batters to the plate.
Aside from the hiccup in the third, Daniel Camarena was excellent on the hill for the RailRiders, allowing the five runs on five hits in 6.2 innings, walking two and striking out nine, a new RailRiders career high. At one point, the southpaw retired 13 consecutive batters before walking Tanner English with two outs in the sixth. J.P. Feyereisen struck out Drew Maggi to close out the top of the seventh to finish what Camarena started.
The Baby Bombers rallied for a run in the bottom of the fourth against Rochester reliever Zack Weiss. Mike Tauchman doubled to center with one out, and advanced to third on a Trey Amburgey infield single. McBroom lifted a sacrifice fly to deep center and brought home Tauchman to cut the deficit to 5-2.
In the bottom of the sixth, the RailRiders edged closer against Ryan Eades, who allowed a leadoff single to Breyvic Valera. Two batters later, Tauchman launched a home run to center to cut the Rochester advantage to 5-4. The round-tripper was the first of the season for the outfielder with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
SWB provided some excitement in the bottom of the seventh when Brad Miller led off with a single and advanced to second on a passed ball. Billy Burns laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt against Trevor Hildenberger to advance Miller to third, and Tyler Wade singled through the right side of a drawn-in infield to tie the game at 5-5. Wade stole second base to get himself into scoring position, and Breyvic Valera drew a walk to put runners on first and second.
After Feyereisen kept the Red Wings off the board in the top of the eighth, Preston Guilmet intentionally walked Mike Tauchman to put runners on first and second before a Trey Amburgey sac bunt advanced Tauchman and pace of play pinch-runner Gosuke Katoh to second and third, respectively. The Red Wings decided to intentionally walk McBroom to load the bases for Miller.
The third baseman swung at the first pitch from Guilmet and hit a bounding ball to second base, which was booted by Jordany Valdespin, allowing Katoh to score the winning run for the RailRiders. The walk-off represented the sixth such win of the season for the RailRiders.
The RailRiders try to complete a three-game sweep of the Red Wings on Thursday night at PNC Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre rolls with RHP Chance Adams (2-1, 4.80) to the mound, while Rochester sends LHP Lewis Thorpe (3-3, 6.31) to the hill. For tickets and more information, call (570) 969-BALL or slide to www.swbrailriders.com/tickets.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Record:

28-20

O’KEEFE LOOKING FOR THIRD CAREER VICTORY
AT 2019 PWBA SONOMA COUNTY OPEN

ARLINGTON, Texas – Shannon O’Keefe of Shiloh, Illinois, has won nine career titles on the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour but two of her wins came at the PWBA Sonoma County Open.

This week, the PWBA Tour begins its West Coast swing and Double Decker Lanes in Rohnert Park, California, will host the best women bowlers in the world for the fourth consecutive season.

Competition at the PWBA Sonoma County Open starts Friday with two eight-game qualifying blocks before the field is cut to 32 players. After eight additional games Saturday morning, the top 12 players will bowl a final six-game block to decide the four players who will compete in the stepladder finals.

BowlTV.com, the exclusive livestreaming home of the PWBA Tour, will have wire-to-wire live coverage of the event, including Saturday’s stepladder finals at 5:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m. Eastern).

This event always seems to bring out the best in O’Keefe, as she’s conquered the difficult lane conditions in 2016 and 2018 with each holding its own spot in her personal history.

The 2016 win was her first singles title on the PWBA Tour after years of struggle and tough losses in previous title matches.

The 2018 event saw a classic title match between O’Keefe and England’s Verity Crawley, an unexpectedly high-scoring match based on the scoring conditions of the week. O’Keefe won the match against top-seeded Crawley, 268-266. 

“I think the reason it brings out the best in me is because they’re really tough,” said O’Keefe, referring to the combination of challenging lane conditions and center characteristics of Double Decker Lanes. “I have learned to become very patient and rely on my shot execution and spare shooting, which is what the tournament boils down to.”

O’Keefe is familiar with entering an event as the defending champion. Last week, she was the defending champion at the United States Bowling Congress Queens, and despite an early first-round loss, she battled her way to a top-12 finish after making a run in the Contenders bracket.

The McKendree women’s bowling coach used her finish as a positive and embraced the results as teachable lessons.

“It was very easy for me to be positive after defeat because I was very proud of my performance,” O’Keefe said. “I lost my first match by two pins and I was disappointed at the time, but I was proud of my execution. I worked hard but sometimes the pins just don’t fall your way. 

“So, if I can’t take the positives and learning moments out of every experience, good or bad, how am I going to expect my girls at McKendree to do the same? I’m really trying to live as an example to them that you can still be very proud of your performance, even when you’re defeated.”

Although her performance left her short of repeating as champion, her Queens week earned her one of two Team USA women’s positions for the 2019 Pan American Games to be held July 26 through Aug. 11, with the bowling competition scheduled for July 25-30. O’Keefe earned a spot based on her finish at the Pan American Games Trials and the USBC Queens.

The Queens was the second part of a two-part qualifying process that started in March with the Pan American Games Trials held at the International Training and Research Center in Arlington.

O’Keefe will join her “sister,” longtime friend and teammate, Stefanie Johnson of McKinney, Texas, who earned the first women’s spot on the Pan American Games team. O’Keefe and Johnson were busy “crunching numbers and doing the math” as qualifying was underway, hoping they had each done enough to earn spots.

Held every four years, in the year preceding the Summer Olympics, the Pan American Games is the second largest multi-sport event that brings together the 41 National Olympic Committees that comprise PanamSports.

“Stefanie and I were pretty sure with a block of qualifying to go that I had already qualified,” O’Keefe said. “When I saw her the next morning, we were jumping up and down and we hadn’t even got final confirmation yet. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity – a dream come true. And to be able to do this with my sister… She is the sister I never had but always wanted. 

“We started our Team USA journey 15 years ago and every part of our international careers, I feel we’ve done together. It’s so fitting and truly feels like a gift from God that we were able to qualify together. It’s another one of our amazing journeys together and I’m incredibly blessed and humbled by it and I’m ready to go.”

The field for the PWBA Sonoma County Open also will have three players with ties to the Bay Area. 

Nichole Hiraoka of Daly City, Kimberly Power-DeFer of Hayward and Karen Rosprim of Albany. 

Power-DeFer is a PWBA member, while Hiraoka and Rosprim are non-members. Rosprim finished sixth in the 2017 PWBA Sonoma County Open.

Double Decker Lanes also will host a PWBA Regional on Sunday. The PWBA is holding five regional events in conjunction with national events on the 2019 PWBA Tour schedule. The one-day tournaments will have eight games of qualifying before the field is cut to the top four competitors for a stepladder final.

The first four regional winners (who are PWBA members) will compete in the Go Bowling! PWBA Regional Showdown, a special made-for-TV event that will air Aug. 24 on CBS Sports Network.

Elise Bolton of Merritt Island, Florida, and Julia Bond of Aurora, Illinois, have clinched berths in the event by winning the first two regionals of the season at Yorktown Lanes in Parma Heights, Ohio, and Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln, Nebraska, respectively.

BowlTV.com will have live coverage of this season’s PWBA Tour events, including the stepladder finals of the first six standard events including the PWBA Sonoma County Open. The platform also offers access to behind-the-scenes content, classic PWBA telecasts, blogs, podcasts and instructional content. Visit BowlTV.com for more information.

CBS Sports Network will televise the stepladder finals of seven events on the 2019 PWBA Tour schedule, including all four majors, and will feature three prime-time shows in August. CBS Sports Network’s coverage of the PWBA continues June 23 with the U.S. Women’s Open, the second major event of the season. 

Visit PWBA.com to learn more information and for complete coverage of the 2019 PWBA Tour season.

About the PWBA
The Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) originally was formed in 1960. The PWBA Tour has events throughout the country, offering high-level competition and top prize money for women bowlers. The PWBA is supported by the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA) and the United States Bowling Congress (USBC)

2019 PWBA SONOMA COUNTY OPEN
(At Double Decker Lanes, Rohnert Park, Calif.)
(All times local)
Thursday, May 30
4 p.m. – 90-minute practice session
7 p.m. – Bowl With The Pros
Friday, May 31
9 a.m. – Eight-game qualifying block
5 p.m. – Eight-game qualifying block
(Cut to top 32 players)
Saturday, June 1
9 a.m. – Round of 32 (eight games)
(Cut to top 12 players) 
2 p.m. – Round of 12 (six games)
(Cut to top four players for stepladder finals)
5:30 p.m. – Stepladder Finals live on BowlTV
7:30 p.m. – Bowl With The Pros

2019 PWBA SONOMA COUNTY REGIONAL
(At Double Decker Lanes, Rohnert Park, Calif.)
Sunday, June 2
(all times local)
9 a.m. – Eight-game qualifying block
(Cut to top four players for stepladder finals)
2 p.m. – Stepladder Finals live on BowlTV