GLSCL Recap - June 23

LIMA LOCOS  7  HAMILTON JOES  1  -  FINAL

FOUNDATION FIELD - The Lima Locos keep taking care of business extending its winning streak to nine games with a 7-1 road victory over the Hamilton Joes at Foundation Field.

The win improves the Locos GLSCL-best record to 13-2 sitting atop of the North Division three and a half games ahead of the nearly as hot Flag City Sluggers.

Lima took the lead coming out of the gate in the top of the first inning. The GLSCL Player of the Week Jimmy Dionne (Purdue University) was hit by a pitch with two outs. Dionne scored all the way from first base on a double into the left center field gap by Cameron Greene (UT Martin transfer).

The Locos broke the game open scoring five runs while batting around in the third inning. Elijah Buffaloe (Central Florida) and Gabe Gonzalez (Mercer University) delivered RBI-singles. Braylon Cordonnier (Marshall University) groundout out with the bases loaded driving home Buffaloe. Nick Fumich (Gardner Webb) capped off the inning with a two-run single bringing home both Greene and Gonzalez.

The Joes (5-8) answered with it one run of the game in the bottom of the third on back-to-back doubles by Brady Bowen (University of Akron) and Noah Wagster (Earlham College).

Lima added a final run in the seventh inning on Cordonnier's single to right field chasing home Greene.

The Locos 11-hit offensive attack was spread evenly throughout its batting order. Seven out of its nine batters in the starting lineup recorded a hit with four them having two hits highlighted by Greene's two doubles. 

Pitching has been another strength this season for the Locos and Tuesday was no different. Wyatt Dion (Central Florida) got the start going five innings earning his first win of the season. Dion struck out five batters giving up just one walk, one run scattering five hits. Ryne Michaeloff (Southern Indiana) piggy backed throwing the final four innings earning his first save. Michaeloff gave up just one hit and one walk nothing three strikeouts.

The middle game of the series takes place at Foundation field on Wednesday with the Locos putting its winning streak on the line looking for its tenth straight victory. First pitch in Hamilton is scheduled for 7:05pm.

FLAG CITY SLUGGERS  7  XENIA SCOUTS  1  -  FINAL

MARATHON DIAMONDS - The Flag City Sluggers stay hot winning for the seventh time in its last eight games with a decisive 7-1 victory at home over the Xenia Scouts.

Flag City's (10-6) recent success has flown under the radar because of the torrid pace being set by its division foes the Lima Locos. Despite its success, the Sluggers are three and a half games behind the pace in the North Division.

The Sluggers did fall behind early when Xenia (7-9) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. With runners on first and second base, Ethan Moore (North Alabama) singled through the right side of the infield driving home Mayo Fernandez Grace College transfer).

It was the only lead for the Scouts possessed as they would not score again only able to scratch out five hits in the game. Fernandez was responsible for two of those hits going 2-for-4 at the plate.

The Sluggers took the lead in the bottom of the first inning scoring twice without the benefit of a hit. The bases were walked loaded leading off the inning when Atticus Huffstutler (University of Akron) hit a sacrifice fly driving in Brett Reed (Madonna University). Miles Mitchell (New Orleans commit) followed with an RBI-ground out driving in Trenten Smith (Owens CC).

In the fifth inning, the Sluggers loaded the bases again leading off the inning thanks too a pair of walks. Reed took advantage with an RBI-single followed by Smith's two-run double. Jovanny Skrelja (Tiffin University) came to plate with the bases loaded yet again delivering with a two-run single to left field.

Three Slugger pitchers combined keeping the Xenia bats quiet. Lefty Dominic Elia (Tiffin University) started going six innings recording seven strikeouts for his second win of the season. Elia fanned seven batters while giving up just one run on three hits. Findlay native Ben Best (Ohio Northern University) pitched two shutout innings giving up on two hits while striking out four batters. Max Dunaway (Florida Southern) closed things out striking out the side during his only inning of work in the ninth inning.

The Sluggers look for the series victory and continuing its hot streak hosting the Scouts Wednesday at Marathon Diamond at 6:05pm.

GRAND LAKE MARINERS  24  MICHIGAN MONARCHS  2 -  FINAL/6 Innings  

MONTGOMERY FIELD - The Grand Lake Mariners scored a season high number of runs for any GLSCL contest when the game was called in the sixth inning ending with a 24-2 win over the visiting Michigan Monarchs. 

The 24 runs Grand Lake scored were the most in a GLSCL since the Cincinnati Steam scored 28 runs against the Southern Ohio Copperheads on June 9, 2023.

The Mariners (10-5) were in the midst of a 12-run sixth innings with just one out when GLSCL Commissioner Deron Brown, who happened to be in attendance, exercised a little known clause in the GLSCL bylaws called "commissioner's prerogative" putting a merciful halt to the game.

Grand Lake started the fateful sixth inning with a three-run homer by C.J. Filipek (Lawrence University) who finished with three hits and five RBI. Luke Wildes (St. John's River State College) finished the onslaught with a grand slam homer. Wildes went 3-for-5 with the grand slam, six RBI's and three runs scored. 

Matthew Aldridge (Pitt Community College) has a game-high four hits and four runs scored with two of them being doubles.

Centerfielder Maalik Perkins (Ball State University) only had one hit but did drive in four RBI, scored three runs and stole two bases. In the field, Perkins had one of the best defensive plays of the season. Perkins stole a certain home run from Michigan's Evan Morrison (Macomb CC) in the third inning. He ran to the warning track sticking his foot into the middle of fence leaping and snagging the ball out of the air that was heading over the wall ending the inning.

Sean Krueckeberg (Ashland University) was credited with the victory for the Mariners going four innings on the mound striking out five batters. Krueckeberg gave up just one run and one hit but did allow four walks. Jackson Murcer (Gardner Webb) pitched two innings giving up one run and three hits.

The series is scheduled to continue on Wednesday at Montgomery Field with first pitch taking place at 6:35pm.

MUSKEGON CLIPPERS  19  SOUTHERN OHIO COPPERHEADS  1  -  FINAL

BOB WREN STADIUM - The Muskegon Clippers turned a blowout into an onslaught scoring 10 runs in the ninth inning beating the Southern Ohio Copperheads 19-1 at Bob Wren Stadium.

Muskegon third basemen Justin St. Antoine (Kellogg CC) was quite an offensive force for the Clippers. St. Antoine was 3-for-5 at the plate with a double, four RBI, two runs scored and three stolen bases.

Two other Clippers batters Ben Meyers (Muskegon CC) and Caden Nieto (Kellogg CC) also stood out on the box score each accounting for three hits and four runs scored.

Four Muskegon pitchers combined to allowed just one run and five hits. Chase Schwierking (Central Michigan) got the start earning the victory pitching five shutout innings.

The Clippers improved its record on the season with its second straight win to 8-8. The Copperheads (3-13) continue its struggles after falling for ninth time in last 10 games.  

The series wraps up with a double header on Wednesday with first pitch in the opener taking place at 4:05pm.

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.