GLSCL Recap - June 27

GRAND LAKE MARINERS  10  SOUTHERN OHIO COPPERHEADS  7  -  FINAL/7 Innings 

BOB WREN STADIUM - The Grand Lake Mariners continues its current hot streak with a mercy-rule victory on the road winning 10-0 over the Southern Ohio Copperheads at Bob Wren Stadium.

The victory extends Grand Lake's (14-5) win-streak to five games creating more separation in GLSCL South Division standings. The Mariners now enjoy a six-game lead over the now second place Hamilton Joes.

Taylor Seay (Arkansas State) was a big part of the Mariners success on the mound. Seay pitched five shutout innings scattering just four hits and allowing only two walks. He earned his first victory of the season thanks in part to a season-high sight strikeouts.

Jackson Murcer (Gardner Webb) came in out of the Grand Lake bullpen finishing the deal. Murcer faced the minimum six batters in his two innings on work only surrendering one hit.

Brandt Kendall (Ball State University) led the way at the plate going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a stolen base. Matt Aldridge (Pitt Community College) broke the game wide open in the fourth inning with a bases clearing three-run double. Hutson Dunn (Ball State University) added a two-run double later in that same inning as the Mariners crossed the plate six times.

The Copperheads (4-15) could only muster five total hits, all of which were singles, with Zach Reeder (Siena Heights) providing two of those hits.

The series wraps up in Celina with the Mariners going for the sweep. The Copperheads look to avoid that fate at Montgomery Field with first pitch scheduled for 4:05pm.

LIMA LOCOS  14  MUSKEGON CLIPPERS  1 -  FINAL

MARSH FIELD - The Lima Locos took advantage of a bullpen meltdown evening the series with a 14-1 win on the road over the Muskegon Clippers.

Lima lead 3-1 going into the eighth inning when the wheels fell off for the Clippers pitching staff. The Locos scored four runs in the eighth and only needed two hits on its way to scoring seven runs in the ninth.

The Locos (14-4) led throughout scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Desmond Francis (Notre Dame commit) broke the seal scoring on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Grant McGuire (Winthrop University). Gabe Gonzalez (Mercer University) followed with two-run double driving home both Parker Datsou (Mercer University) and Jimmy Dionne (Purdue University).

The Clippers (10-10) started a two-out rally in the third inning when Justin St. Antione (Kellogg CC) reached on an infield single. Caden Thelen (Grand Valley State) followed hitting his GLSCL-leading sixth triple of the season driving home St. Antione.

Thelen is just two triples away from tying the GLSCL record of eight triples in a season set by Jared Hoying of the Grand Lake Mariners back in 2009. Thelen also currently leads the GLSCL with 30 RBIs.

That was all the Locos pitching staff would give up as they were led by starter Garrett Byrd (Winthrop University). Byrd went the first five innings improving his record to 3-0 on the season. Byrd gave up just one run on four hits striking out a season-high eight batters and not allowing a walk. 

Callaghan O'Conner (Notre Dame commit) followed going three shutout innings giving up one hit and two walks with five strikeouts. Montgomery O'Brien (Notre Dame commit) pitched the ninth inning finishing off the Clippers despite allowing two base runners.

Dionne went 4-for-5 with three runs scored while Gonzalez had two doubles and four RBIs for the Locos. 

The rubber game of the series is Sunday in Muskegon with first pitch at Marsh Field scheduled for 5:05pm.

FLAG CITY SLUGGERS  8  MICHIGAN MONARCHS  4  -  FINAL  

MARATHON DIAMONDS - The Flag City Sluggers clinched a series victory over the struggling Michigan Monarchs with an 8-4 win in Findlay at Marathon Diamonds.

Flag City (13-7) keeps up the pace in the GLSCL North Division standings as they remain just two games behind the front running Lima Locos. The Sluggers are three games ahead of the third place Muskegon Clippers for the division's second playoff spot.

Back-to-back RBI-singles by Trent Smith (Owens CC) and Mickey Anderson (Montgomery College) in the third inning gave Flag City an early 2-0 advantage. 

The Monarchs (5-13), who have now drop five straight games,  took the lead momentarily scoring three runs in the fifth inning. Ryan McKay (Michigan State transfer) was responsible for all three of those runs tying the game with a two-run triple. McKay scored the go ahead run from third base on an infield single by J.J. Fontana (CSU Pueblo).

The Sluggers didn't trail for long answering with five runs in the bottom of the fifth. Flag City only needed one hit in the inning as Miles Mitchell (New Orleans commit) drove home Smith with an RBI-single tying the game 3-3. Anderson scored the go ahead run when Aiden Booth (University of Findlay) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Mitchell then scored on a bases-loaded walk issued to Gino Williams (Millersville University). Drew Tajblik (University of Toledo) scored next on a balk and Booth on a wild pitch.

Jackson Urenovitch (Bowling Green State) improved his record to 4-1 on the season going four and 2/3 innings out of the Sluggers bullpen. Urenovitch gave up just one unearned run on four hits striking out six batters. Urenovitch and Grand Lake's Alex Dues lead the GLSCL in victories with four wins.

Due to a scheduling conflict at Marathon Diamonds the series wrap-up game on Sunday will be played at Steller Field on the campus of Bowling Green State University. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05pm 

HAMILTON JOES  vs  XENIA SCOUTS  -  DH

FOUNDATION FIELD - The Hamilton Joes swept what turned out to be a double against the Xenia Scouts by scores of 16-3 and 2-0 at Foundation Field.

The Joes won the resumption of a suspended game from the previous night scoring seven runs after the point of interruption winning by a lopsided score of 16-3. 

Hamilton lead 9-3 in the top of the fourth inning when play was halted on Friday night. The Joes scored seven runs in the second innings on Friday and then scored seven more during the fifth inning on Saturday.

Parker Falkenstein (Wright State) finished the game going 3-for-4 with four RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases. Owen McKoon (Louisiana Monroe) had two hits, both doubles, and also droving in four RBI.

Kamden McAlpin (Eastern Kentucky transfer) contributed with two hits and two runs plus Preston Zumwalt (University of Toledo) hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning.

The Scouts had six hits total, two each by Steven Schneider (Maryville University) and Drew Snipes (Bluffton University). Schneider hit a solo homer in the second inning on Friday, his team-high fourth of the season.

The regularly scheduled game turned into a seven-inning game and it was a pitcher's duel.

Dean Brown (Chattahoochee Valley) and Erik Ronquist (Clark College) combined for a one-hit shutout. Brown went the first five innings giving up the Scouts only hit allowing three walks while registering seven strikeouts. Ronquist earned the save allowing just one base runner in two innings of work.

The Joes scored both of its runs in the third inning. McAlpin reached on a one-out triple scoring on a wild pitch. With runners on the corners, A.J. Beggs (Southwest Illinois College) grounded into a fielder's choice allowing Falkenstein to score from third base.

Hamilton (8-9) leapfrogged Xenia (8-12) in the GLSCL South Division standings.  The Joes are now one and 1/2 games ahead of the Scouts, who have dropped seven out of its last right games, for second place in the standings behind the Grand Lake Mariners.

The series finale is Sunday on Grady's Field at Browne Stadium with first pitch set for 5:05pm.

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.