The Crushers finished their opening season roadtrip 3-3 thanks to a 4-2 win over Rockford on Thursday night.

Starting pitcher Andrew Weeks improved to 2-0 allowing just one run on six hits in six innings. He struck out five.

The Riverhawks scored their first run of the contest in the bottom of the first inning on Jeremy Hamilton's two out RBI single. Lake Erie responded quickly by plating a pair of runs in the top of the second. Patrick Norris's first of three hits on the night was a run scoring single to tie the game in the second, and the Crushers took advantage of the game's only error moments later to take the lead.

The bases were loaded with two outs, when Rockford catcher Carlos Dominguez attempted to pick off Zac Messer at second base. Dominguez's throw hit Messer's leg, and was re-directed to the left side of the infield, which allowed Kyle Boe to score.

Lake Erie plated two more runs in the top of the third to take a 4-1 advantage. Kellen Kulbacki reached on a one out walk and moved to second base on Nick Mahin's single. Joel Collins followed with a double down the left field line to score Kulbacki, and Chris Luick's sacrifice fly brought in Mahin moments later.

The Lake Erie pitching staff held the Riverhawks to just one hit, from the fourth through the eighth inning, until Rockford scored its final run in the bottom of the ninth inning. Bud Long began the inning with a walk, and Ruben Flores (2) struck out the next two batters he faced. Caleb Curry followed with a base hit, and David Cooper belted a single to center field which scored Long from second base. Rockford then executed a double steal, putting the tying runs in scoring position. Flores then walked Jake Eigsti to load the bases, before Flores struck out Hamilton to seal the deal.

Norris led the Crushers offensively with three hits on the night, going 3-for-5, finishing off a strong series, in which he hit .431 (6-for-13). Kulbacki and Collins both hit safely twice, and reached three times in five plate appearances, and Mahin belted two base hits, giving him nine hits on the trip.