Long Island to face Somerset in Liberty Division Championship Series
(Lancaster, Penn., Sept. 20, 2015) – The Long Island Ducks were defeated by the Lancaster Barnstormers 11-0 on Sunday afternoon in the finale of a four-game series at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
Sean Burroughs led the Ducks in the series finale with two hits in four at-bats. He therefore finished the season with a .3403 batting average to win the Atlantic League batting title. The former big leaguer beat out Bridgeport’s Welington Dotel, who ended the season with a .3396 batting average.
Despite the loss, the Ducks finished the regular season with an 80-59 record. The 80 victories are the second-most in franchise history, trailing only the mark set during the inaugural 2000 season (82-58). In addition, Long Island’s 46 wins in the first half of the season were the most in any half of a season in club annals. Long Island clinched a wild card berth in the Atlantic League playoffs on Tuesday and will now face their longtime rivals, the Somerset Patriots, in the Liberty Division Championship Series.
During the 2015 season, the Ducks had 11 players signed by Major League or foreign organizations. They included Bobby Blevins, Taiwan; Kevin Vance, Diamondbacks; Trayvon Robinson, Diamondbacks; Mike Blanke, Red Sox; Hector Ambriz, Nationals; Mickey Jannis, Mets; Andrew Barbosa, Braves; Lew Ford, Mexico; Reegie Corona, Nationals; Rich Hill, Red Sox and Ryan Gebhardt, Braves. In addition, Hill became the 15th player in franchise history to return to the Major Leagues after playing for the Ducks, earning a call-up by the Red Sox in September.
Long Island finished the season as the Atlantic League leaders in attendance, welcoming a total of 358,317 fans through the gates of Bethpage Ballpark and averaging 5,269 fans per game. Both totals were increases from the 2014 season when the Ducks hosted 344,543 total fans and averaged 5,067 fans per game. The Ducks featured a brand new lineup of daily promotions every home game at Bethpage Ballpark, had a fan win $10,000 as part of a Winning Inning Wednesday promotion and hosted 17 Pyrotecnico Fireworks Extravaganzas, including one that welcomed the second-largest attendance in franchise history (7,443 on July 4 against Somerset).
The Ducks will host Game One of the best-of-five Liberty Division Championship Series on Wednesday, September 23. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m., with the Bethpage Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for full season ticket holders. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive “Drive to the Title” Rally Towels, courtesy of News 12. Prior to the game, the Ducks will be hosting a food drive in conjunction with Island Harvest Food Bank. Fans are encouraged to donate non-perishable food items by dropping them off in the collection bins located on the plaza outside the ballpark.
Tickets to the game and all Ducks home playoff games are available by visiting the Bethpage Ballpark box office, calling (631) 940-TIXX or CLICKING HERE. Those unable to make the game can follow all of the action live on the Ducks’ official YouTube channel. Streaming video and audio will be available online by CLICKING HERE.
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