Waters’ Walk-Off Snaps Skid for Storm Chasers

PAPILLION, NEB. – The Omaha Storm Chasers (13-16) walked off the Louisville Bats (18-12) in an 8-7 thriller Thursday night. Drew Waters delivered the knockout punch while Omaha starter Ryan Ramsey fired 5.0 strong innings and Luca Tresh hit a 3-run home run in the victory.

Ramsey started with a scoreless 1st inning, but allowed a sac fly and RBI single in the top of the 2nd inning to give the Bats a 2-0 lead.

Omaha’s southpaw starter followed with 3 straight scoreless innings, inducing a groundball double play in each frame to keep it a 2-0 Louisivlle lead.

The Storm Chasers then scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the 5th inning on a 2-run home run from John Rave that knotted the game 2-2.

Omaha turned to the bullpen in the top of the 6th inning after Ramsey went 5.0 innings and allowed just 2 runs. Shane Panzini took over behind Ramsey, but Louisville added 2 more runs in the top of the 6th inning when Ivan Johnson hit a 2-run homer off Panzini for a 4-2 Bats lead.

Storm Chasers reliever Anthony Gose made his Omaha debut and worked a 1-2-3 top of the 7th inning, then Luke Maile drove in Abraham Toro in the bottom half on an RBI grounder to cut the deficit to 4-3 after Toro led off the frame with a triple.

Omaha’s Chazz Martinez pitched a perfect top of the 8th inning, and with Kameron Misner and Waters on base in the bottom of the frame, Tresh launched a 3-run shot to put the Storm Chasers up 6-4.

Steven Cruz (1-0) relieved Martinez in the top of the 9th inning, but after making an error early in the frame, he allowed 3 unearned runs to score on a 2-run single and RBI triple that put the Bats back in front 7-6.

The first 2 Omaha batters were retired to begin the bottom of the 9th inning, but the Storm Chasers went on a 2-out rally starting with a single and stolen base from Tyler Tolbert. Misner followed with a game-tying RBI single to make it 7-7, then stole 2nd base as well. Waters capped off the night with an RBI single of his own to send home Misner and win the game for Omaha 8-7.

The Storm Chasers hope to make it back-to-back wins when they return to Werner Park on Friday for Game 4 of the series against the Bats. Right-hander Mitch Spence is scheduled to start the game with first pitch set for 6:35 P.M. CT.