Great Lakes Throws One-Hitter, Downs Dayton 1-0

First Loons combined one-hitter since June 15, 2022

DAYTON, Ohio. – Four Great Lakes Loons (3-4) pitchers, Ben Casparius, Braydon Fisher, Antonio Knowles, and Jake Pilarski permitted just one hit to the Dayton Dragons (2-5), and were the victors 1-0 on a 72-degree partly cloudy night at Day Air Ballpark.

Great Lakes starter Ben Casparius delivered his best professional baseball start. The right-hander needed just 18 pitches to retire the first six batters. The 2021 5th Round Pick never exceeded 17 pitches in a frame. The third inning saw a walk, but Casparius responded with a strikeout, the fourth came another base on balls, and the next at-bat was a 1-6-3 double play. Casparius went six innings, the only Loons pitcher to exceed five, allowing no hits, striking out five, and only throwing 67 pitches.

The bullpen took it from there. Braydon Fisher made his fourth appearance of the year, a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh. Antonio Knowles did allow a hit to Hayden Jones, the other three batters, were all sent down on strikes. Jake Pilarski earned his second save of 2023, with a 1-2-3 ninth with two strikeouts and his fastball topped out at 100 miles per hour.

The Loons' lone run came in the top of the first. With one out, Alex Freeland walked. Freeland got a nice read off Dayton starter Thomas Farr and stole second, the throw from catcher Hayden Jones skipped into centerfield allowing Freeland to go to third. Dalton Rushing with two outs, first pitch swinging, lined the ball down the right field line. Rushing’s fourth run batted in, in two days and his second double.

Besides that, Chris Alleyne also earned a single in the fifth and stole second and third base but was left 90 feet from scoring. Freeland walked another time, Yeiner Fernandez and Griffin Lockwood-Powell, both reached once on a base on balls.

The Loons and Dragons matchup for the fifth time in a six-game series tomorrow Saturday, April 15th, with a 1:09 first pitch from Day Air Ballpark.

The Great Lakes Loons have been the Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers since the team’s inception in 2007. Dow Diamond serves as the team’s home and also houses the Michigan Baseball Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity, and ESPN 100.9-FM. For tickets or information about the Loons, call 989-837-BALL or visit Loons.com.