Camden Draws First Blood; Wins Playoff Opener, 8-2

Lincoln Mikkelsen remains the only player in Camden Riversharks history to win a playoff game as he pitched eight innings of four hit baseball to lead the Riversharks over the Atlantic City Surf, 8-2, in the first round of the Atlantic League Southern Division playoffs on Tuesday night at Campbell’s Field. The Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year candidate struck out two and allowed just one run to improve to 1-0 in the playoffs.

Two years ago, Mikkelsen pitched a complete game shutout in the opener of the Divisional Series against Bridgeport as the Riversharks won their only postseason game 5-0 over the Bluefish.

After failing to score a run in either of their two postseason games last season, the Riversharks got on the board first as they plated an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning when Chris Widger singled home Troy Cameron.

It would be the first of three unearned runs on the night for the Riversharks, who grabbed a 2-0 in the bottom of the second inning when Tony Rodriguez delivered Chris Wakeland with an RBI-single to left field.

The Riversharks turned a relatively close game into a blowout in the bottom of the seventh inning as they scored four times to expand their lead from 4-1 to 8-1. A solo home run by Cameron and two run single by Tony Rodriguez were the big hits in the inning.

Anthony Chavez (0-1), who left after two innings with back spasms, suffered the loss despite allowing two unearned runs and three hits.

The Riversharks would win the best of three series with a victory tomorrow night at Sandcastle Stadium. A win by the Surf would send the series to a third and deciding game on Thursday night in Atlantic City.

The remainder of this three game series will take place at Sandcastle Stadium on Wednesday, Sept. 22 and Thursday, Sept. 23. Both games are scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Tomorrow night’s starters will be Ben Simon for Camden against Atlantic City’s Archie Corbin.