LANCASTER, PA - With a mesmerizing blend of breaking pitches, Josh Stevens, a late season acquisition by the Barnstormers, pitched his new club into the Atlantic League Championship Series as the right-hander fanned 12 in a 4-2 victory over Atlantic City Wednesday evening.

The game, which clinched the opening round best-of-three series for the Barnstormers was played to a crowd of 6,259, most of which was dressed in varying shades of red. It was the first professional baseball game in Lancaster since 1958.

Stevens’ 12 strikeouts were the most ever by a Barnstormers pitcher in a single game. He allowed seven hits and no walks in 8 2/3 innings, being lifted only after yielding singles to Joe Jiannetti and Clyde Williams in the top of the ninth. He fanned at least one in every inning except the fifth and got every Surf batter except Jiannetti at least once.

Jeremy Todd and Williams exchanged solo homers early in the game, then Stevens and Atlantic City lefty Andy High became embroiled in a pitchers duel for the ages. Steven was only threatened by a pair of singles in the sixth but got Dario Delgado to ground out 5-3 to end the inning. High did not allow a base hit after Jutt Hileman’s one out single in the second. However, his pitch count climbed, reaching over 100, and manager Jeff Ball pulled him with two outs in the seventh.

Lancaster got to reliever Caleb Balbuena in the eighth. With one out, Jason Bowers, who had struck out three times against High, cranked a double into the left center field alley. The Surf opted to pitch to Todd, who had four hits and five RBI in the series, and Balbuena retired him on a shallow fly ball near the left field line. Jose Ortiz hit a slow grounder to the hole at shortstop. Raul Marval skipped his off balance throw past first baseman Todd Leathers, and Bowers raced around to score the tie-breaking run.

Eric Crozier then took Balbuena deep into the gap in right center field, and his drive hit a post in the chain link fence, careening sideways along the warning track. By the time center fielder Gary Johnson, who had fallen on the play, recovered, Crozier was sprinting around the bases for an inside-the-park home run and a 4-1 lead.

After Stevens was removed, Melvin Rosario knocked a 2-2 pitch from reliever Charlie Weatherby into center field for an RBI single. Weatherby finally ended Atlantic City’s hopes on a liner to center field by Todd Leathers, establishing the Barnstormers, who had won both halves of the season, as the Southern Division Champions.

Bridgeport awaits. It will be a war.

NOTES: Game One of the finals will be played at Harbor Yard on Friday at 7:05…Starting pitchers will be announced on Thursday…Game Two is Saturday at 6:05…The series returns to Lancaster for the remainder of the games, starting at 6:05 on Sunday.