COLABELLO, TORNADOES TOO MUCH FOR SURF
June 21 Recap

Atlantic City, N.J. – Worcester 1B Chris Colabello went 4-for-6, hit three home runs and had eight RBI as the Tornadoes whipped the Atlantic City Surf, 16-6, in a Can-Am League contest at Bernie Robbins Stadium on Saturday evening.

After the Surf took an early 1-0 lead on RF Billy Kovatch’s sacrifice fly, the Tornadoes responded with four runs in the third, including Colabello’s three-run homer to left. Atlantic City tied the game in the bottom half of the frame with DH Clyde Williams’ RBI double and 2B Brad Thoma’s two-run single, and took a short-lived 5-4 lead in the fourth when CF Lucas Taylor scored an unearned run.
Worcester (18-9) then broke the game wide-open with a nine-run fifth inning that included 2B Omar Pena’s three-run double and Colabello’s second three-run shot of the evening.

Both teams scored a run in the eighth, before Colabello’s third home run of the night, this one a two-run blast in the ninth, made it a 16-6 final.

Colabello’s three home runs tied his own league record, previously set on May 29, 2007. The eight RBI were two short of the league record, also Colabello’s from May 29, 2007.

Worcester RF Scott Grimes, the league’s leading hitter entering the night at .424, raised his average nine points with a 3-for-5 evening, while CF B.J. Weed, SS Chuck Jeroloman, and DH Jeff LaHair had two hits apiece for the Tornadoes. For Atlantic City (14-14), Thoma and 1B Eddie Kim were both 2-for-4.

Shaun McNamara (2-2) registered the victory for Worcester, giving up four earned runs in six innings pitched. Rory Shortell (0-1) picked up the loss, allowing six earned runs in four and one-third innings, striking out four.
The Tornadoes moved into a tie for first place in the Can-Am League with Quebec, as the Capitales fell to Sussex 3-2 this evening.

The Surf will try to avoid the series sweep in the third game of the set on Sunday evening at 7:05 p.m. Atlantic City’s Brian Rodaway (3-1) will oppose Worcester’s Tom Cochran (4-0).