GLSCL Recap - June 20

LIMA LOCOS  9  XENIA SCOUTS  1  -  FINAL

SIMMONS FIELD - The Lima Locos continue to roll down the tracks winning its seventh game in a row with a 9-1 win over the Xenia Scouts on Saturday at Simmons Field.

The Locos (11-2) clinch the weekend series victory over the Scouts extending its lead atop of the GLSCL North Divisions standings. Lima now leads the second place Flag City Sluggers by three games in the standings.

Garrett Byrd (Winthrop University) pitched six shutout innings giving up just one hit and one walk striking out six batters. Byrd improved his record to 2-0 on the season only needing 56 pitches facing one batter over the minimum. 

The Lima offense gave Byrd an early lead scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Locos then batted around in the fifth inning scoring six runs extending its lead to 8-0.

The Locos recorded 11 hits evenly spread throughout its lineup with four different players accounting for two hits.

As good as the offense was the pitching for the Lima was even better as Michael Strickland (Mercer University) came in relief of Byrd pitching the final three innings. Strickland gave up just one run on two hits without surrendering a walk and striking out two batters.

The Scouts (7-7) avoided being shutout in the ninth inning when Trey Tipton (Cedarville University) lead off with a single scoring on a sacrifice fly by Mayo Fernandez (Grace College transfer) 

The series wraps up on Sunday in Xenia with the Locos going for the sweep and its eighth straight victory. The Scouts look to avoid that fate when first pitch is scheduled to take place on Grady's Field at 5:05pm.

GRAND LAKE MARINERS  5  FLAG CITY SLUGGERS  4  -  FINAL  

MONTGOMERY FIELD - The Grand Lake Mariners get off the schneid snapping the Flag City Sluggers five-game winning streak in the process with a 5-4 victory on Saturday at Montgomery Field.

The Mariners (9-4) are still on top of the GLSCL South Division standings after stopping a three-game losing slide.

Grand Lake broke a 4-4 tie in the seventh inning when Landon Tiesing (Kent State University) doubled coming around to score on an RBI-groundout by Matthew Aldridge (Pitt Community College).

Mariners reliever Jackson Murcer (Gardner Webb) combined with Elias Alvarado (St. John's River State College) holding off the Sluggers hanging on to close out the game.

Murcer earned the victory going three and 1/3 innings out for the bullpen. Alvarado came in when Murcer got into trouble during the ninth inning. Alvarado converted his second save of the season recording the final two outs of the game.

The Mariners offense took advantage of three solo home runs taking an early 3-0 advantage. Brandt Kendall (Ball State University) went yard in the first inning while Sean Krueckeberg (Ashland University) and Noah Drake (Indiana University) hit back-to-back bombs in the second inning.

The Sluggers only had seven hits thanks in part to the Mariners committing five errors. Mickey Anderson (Montgomery College) and Drew Tajblik (University of Toledo) each contributed two hits apiece.

The rubber game of the series takes place on Sunday in the early afternoon at Marathon Diamonds. First pitch on Father's Day is scheduled for 1:05pm.

MUSKEGON CLIPPERS  vs  HAMILTON JOES   -  DH

MARSH FIELD - The Muskegon Clippers gained a series victory splitting a double header with the Hamilton Joes on Saturday at Marsh Field.

The Joes went overtime winning the first game 5-4 in eight innings. The Clippers took the nightcap defeating Hamilton 5-3 in the regulation seven innings.

The Clippers forced extra innings in the opener manufacturing a run in the bottom of the seventh tying the score 3-3. Muskegon's Kaden Howard (Grand Valley State) led off with a single to right field advancing to second base on a Joes fielding error. Howard moved to third base on a groundout and then scored the tying run on a strikeout-wild pitch combination.

Dalton Dick (Arkansas Pine Bluff), who reached on that strikeout represented the winning run. Ben Meyers (Muskegon CC) was up next and he launched a double that hit off the base of the fence in right field. Dick ran through the stop sign being held up by Clippers head coach Brian Wright nearly colliding with him in the third base coach's box. The resulted was a run down with Dick being the second out of the inning. 

Hamilton reliever Brady Bowen (University of Akron), who would earn the victory, then strikeout Nolan Laskey (Grand Valley State) stranding that potential winning run in scoring position. 

Moving to the eighth, the Joes put up a pair of runs taking a 5-3 advantage. Hamilton took the lead when Noah Kubasky (UNLV transfer) was forced home on a bases loaded walk issued to Preston Zumawalt (University of Toledo). Ryder Kirtley (Miami University) delivered the insurance run, which turned out to needed, driving home Alex Koelling (Miami University) with a sacrifice fly.

Kirtley, who hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning, went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two stolen bases.

The Clippers rallied again in the ninth but ultimately fell short of taking the victory. Cayden Nieto (Kellogg CC) scored on an RBI-groundout by Howard. 

Jeffrey Levin (Embry Riddle) recorded the final out for the Joes inducing Caden Thelen (Grand Valley State) to fly out stranding the potential tying run on base.

Muskegon starter Zander Wills (University of Dayton) struck out eight batters without allowing a walk in four innings of work but did not factor into the decision.

Hamilton came out hot in the second game scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Unfortunately, the Joes would not score again and the early advantage wasn't enough to capture a sweep.

Muskegon tied the game in the fifth inning when Laskey scored on and sacrifice fly by Thelen. Meyers followed with two-out, two-run double allowing Howard to score from third base.

Meyers struck again in the sixth giving the Clippers a 4-3 lead with an RBI-single. Laskey added on to the lead driving home Dick with a single to right field.

The Joes loaded the bases in the top of the seven inning. Andrew Pohlman (Saginaw Valley State) came in from the Clippers bullpen recording the final out giving Muskegon the victory.

Both teams now have both Sunday and Monday off resting and then preparing for a new series beginning Tuesday. 

The Clippers (7-8) will travel to Athens taking on the Southern Ohio Copperheads. The Joes (5-8) will also go on the road facing off against the Lima Locos in a rematch of last year's GLSCL Championship series. 

MICHIGAN MONARCHS  vs  SOUTHERN OHIO COPPERHEADS   -  DH 

HILL STADIUM - The Michigan Monarchs and Southern Ohio Copperheads split a double header at Hillsdale College on Saturday. The Copperheads won 3-2 in the opener while the Monarchs take night cap 7-6 in eight innings.

Southern Ohio scored three runs in the fourth inning proving to be all the Copperheads would need for the opening game victory.

Zach Reeder (Siena Heights University), who reached on of his three hits in the game, crossed the pay station first scoring from third base on a passed ball. Cal Leighton's (Bradley University) single to left filed drove in Eli Mandler (Seton Hill University). The "Cheads" pulled off a double steal with Fox Spears (Hanover College) swiping home giving Southern Ohio a 3-0 lead.

Emmanuel Gutierrez (Henry Ford CC) broke the seal for the Monarchs scorning in the fifth inning on an RBI-groundout by Ryan Metz (Mott CC). Ryan McKay (Michigan State transfer), went 2-for-3 at the plate delivered on RBI-single in the sixth scoring Evan Morrison (Macomb CC).

Max Penrod (Hocking College) got the start on the mound for Southern Ohio pitching five strong innings. Penrod gave up just one run on four hits striking out four batters on his way to earning his first win of the season. Logan Martin (Rio Grande) got the save, his second of the year, pitching the final two innings. 

The Monarchs had to put in a little overtime in the nightcap salvaging a split walking it off in the eighth inning for a 7-6 victory.

Michigan tied the game 6-6 in the seventh when Gutierrez singled and advancing to third on a two-base error during a pickoff attempt. Sean Fox (Ohio University) sent Gutierrez home on a sacrifice fly. 

The Copperheads were retired in Monarchs reliever Trey Nurenberg (Lansing CC) during the top of the eighth.

The Monarchs left fielder Maddux Bach (UIndy) reached on a two-out walk. After stealing second base, McKay, who went a combined 4-for-7 on Saturday, became the hero with a single to left field driving in Bach with the winning run.

Nurenberg pitched the final four innings for the Monarchs striking out eight batters without allowing a walk giving up two runs on two hits for his first win of the year.

The two teams return to action on Tuesday with the Copperheads (3-12) heading home hosting the Muskegon Clippers. The Monarchs (5-8) go on the road taking on the Grand Lake Mariners at Montgomery Field.

ABOUT THE GREAT LAKES SUMMER COLLEGIATE LEAGUE 

The Great Lakes Summer Collegiate, founded in 1987, is a wood-bat league that is certified by the NCAA and is partially funded by Major League Baseball. The GLSCL is a non-profit 501(c)(3) entity that is one of 12 members of the National Alliance of Collegiate Summer Baseball (NACSB). The league currently consists of 8 active franchises in Ohio and Michigan boasting several players that have earned service time in major league baseball.