OFFICIAL FRONTIER LEAGUE BOX SCORE

Avon, OH - Despite having a 7-1 and 8-5 lead at two separate points of the game, the Ottawa Titans (3-3) managed to score the winning run on a hit by pitch with the bases loaded in the ninth to defeat the Lake Erie Crushers (4-2) by a 9-8 final on Friday, snapping the clubs three-game slide.

In a pitching matchup featuring two front-line starters - it was the Crushers that jumped all over Shane Gray (ND, 0-0) in the bottom of the first with a couple of doubles. After Logan Thomason doubled to centre, Jarrod Watkins smoked an extra base hit of his own to make it 1-0. The run allowed by Gray marked the first time this season in which the Titans did not score the opening run of the game.

Facing former major leaguer Brandyn Sittinger (ND, 1-0) - the Titans took the lead in the second inning with a two-run homer from Lamar Briggs. The long ball for Briggs was the second homer in as many at-bats dating back to Thursday's finale in Washington.

In the third, Briggs was at it again with two men on - going the other way for a two-run double to make it 4-1.

Gray settled in after allowing the run in the first inning - where at one point the Ohio-born right-hander retired 12 of a possible 13.

Up by a trio - the Crushers' bullpen lost command of the strike zone - seeing the Titans plate a couple of runs on a wild pitch and another on a passed ball in the sixth inning to take a 7-1 advantage.

The Crushers began their comeback in the bottom of the sixth - where with a pair on - Burle Dixon blasted a three-run homer to right field off Gray to make it a 7-4 game. After the homer, Gray was taken out after five and a third innings. The righty allowed four runs on five hits, walking four, and striking out seven - leaving in line for the win.

After the teams exchanged runs over the next full inning - the Crushers pulled level against Dazon Cole (win, 1-0) in the eighth. Run producing singles from Sam Franco and Zach Campbell - sandwiched by an RBI double from Davie Morgan saw the Crushers pull level at eight.

In the ninth, right-hander Leonardo Rodriguez (loss, 0-1) walked three consecutive hitters to put the potential go-ahead run 90 feet away. In a two-strike count on Michael Fuhrman - Rodriguez plunked the Titans catcher to score the eventual winning tally to make it 9-8.

Brett Garcia (save, 1) bounced back with a clean ninth to secure the win and pick up his first save of the season.

In the win, the Titans clubbed seven doubles, the most since the 2022 season, in which the franchise record eight doubles was set on May 19 at Windy City.

Lamar Briggs shined once again by going 3-for-4 with two doubles, a homer, four RBI, and a walk in the win - while Felix Valerio went 2-for-5 with a pair of two-baggers. Jackie Urbaez registered two hits. Tucker Zdunich walked three times, Taylor Wright drew two free passes, and Michael Fuhrman walked twice as well and was hit by pitches twice.

The Ottawa Titans continue a three-game set with the Lake Erie Crushers on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. from Crushers Stadium in Avon, Ohio. The 2025 Home Opener is scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, at 6:30 p.m. against the New Jersey Jackals. All the action can be heard on CKDJ 107.9 and live-streamed on Frontier League TV, powered by HomeTeam Network.

For information on Ottawa Titans’ 2025 Season Tickets, Group Outings, and Nine-Game Mini Packs, visit the Titans’ official website at www.ottawatitans.com.