The Alvinston Indians improved to 2-0 in their St. Thomas & District Major Fastball League semi-final series against the St. Thomas Storm, on Thursday night, in front of a large crowd in Alvinston, after posting a 4-1 win. 
 
The game pitted Alvinston Indians ace Kyle Crawford against up-and-comer Scott Lovell for the St. Thomas Storm, and the young pitcher kept his team in the game for much of the contest. 
 
The Indians opened the scoring in the second inning, when Ryan Chapman laced a line-drive single, and scored on an RBI double down the right-field line by Brad Cooper.  St. Thomas squared matters in the top of the fourth inning, when Mark Coleman walked, stole second base, and scored on a hard-fought at bat by Troy Rick, who doubled into the left centre gap. 
 
In the bottom of the fourth however, the Indians answered back.  Chapman singled again for his second hit of the game, and he advanced to second on a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt by Eric Hyatt.  Chapman then scored, when the third baseman misplayed a two-out Andy Triest ground ball, allowing Triest to be safe at first, and Chapman to score what was the go ahead run.
 
Crawford struck out the side in the fifth inning, allowing Alvinston to get their bats going in the bottom of the fifth inning.  Jamie Shields singled to lead off the inning, and Jeff Lyons followed with a two-run homerun, to ice the game for the Alvinston Indians. 
 
Chapman and Lyons were both 2/3 in the contest for Alvinston.  Kyle Crawford had a masterful game on the mound, tossing all seven innings, and allowing one earned run on four hits, with two walks, and seventeen strikeouts in the win. 
 
Game three goes Sunday afternoon in Alvinston at 2:00pm.