Erie Erases Early Deficit to Win Series in Reading

The SeaWolves (74-55) took down Reading (56-75) 8-5 in the series finale to earn a series win.

Reading scored a pair of runs in the first inning against Erie starter Angel Reyes. Justin Crawford hit a leadoff double. Carson Taylor drew a two-out walk. Keaton Anthony hit a two-out, RBI single to make it 1-0 Reading. Ethan Wilson followed with an RBI double to score Taylor and make it 2-0.

Erie got even with a pair of runs in the second against Reading starter Noah Skirrow. Skirrow hit Corey Joyce with a pitch to begin the frame before walking Liam Hicks and Eliezer Alfonzo to load the bases. Brady Allen lined an RBI single to make it 2-1. Patrick Lee then grounded into a double play, which scored Hicks to tie the game.

In the second, Reyes hit Jordan Dissin to begin the inning. Crawford singled with one out, putting runners on the corners. Robert Moore reached on a fielder’s choice, which scored Dissin to make it 3-2.

Erie loaded the bases with one out in the third inning on consecutive singles by Gage Workman, Chris Meyers, and Joyce. Liam Hicks softly grounded out to first base, which scored Workman to tie the game at 3-3.

The SeaWolves went ahead in the fourth inning. Allen led off the inning with a wall-ball double. Lee then reached on a fielding error by third baseman Zach Arnold, which placed Allen at third and Lee at second base with none out. Carlos Mendoza then shot a two-run double, giving Erie a 5-3 lead. Austin Murr followed with an RBI double, making it 6-3.

Jake Higginbotham surrendered a two-run homer to Cade Fergus in the bottom of the fourth, cutting Erie’s lead to 6-5.

Alfonzo slapped an RBI single in the seventh, which extended Erie’s lead to 7-5.

Hicks drove in his second run of the game on a sacrifice fly in the eighth, making it 8-5.

RJ Petit (6-7) earned the win for Erie with an inning of scoreless relief. Skirrow (5-5) took the loss. Tyler Owens worked a perfect ninth to earn his first save with Erie.

Erie returns home to UPMC Park for six against the Bowie Baysox to wrap up the regular season. First pitch on Tuesday is at 6:05 p.m.