GLSCL Recap - July 8

HAMILTON  JOES  vs.  LIMA LOCOS  -  DH

FOUNDATION FIELD - The Hamilton Joes swept the Lima Locos in double header winning by scores of 2-1 in sudden death and 5-1 in the nightcap.

The Joes (17-11) win the series over the GLSCL North Division leading Locos (21-8) taking three out of four games over a two day period. Hamilton has turned the corner in the last two weeks winning 12 out of its last 14 games after stumbling to a 5-9 start to the season.

In the opener, the game was 1-1 through seven innings before going into extra innings. After both teams failed to score in the eighth inning, the game into the sudden death ninth inning.

The Joes went to the plate with the automatic runner, Brady Bowen (Ball State University), placed at first base. Bowen stole second base advancing to third on a lead off single to left field by Owen McKoon (Bowling Green State). The Locos choose to intentionally walk A.J. Beggs (Southwest Illinois College) loading the bases with no outs. Ryder Kirtley (Miami University) became the hero with a walk off base hit allowing Bowen to easily score from third base.

In the nightcap, the Joes didn't need any late inning theatrics cruising to a 5-1 victory. Hamilton took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning. Beggs crossed the pay station pitcher when he scored from third base on balk committed by Lima's pitcher. Kirtley later scored on a sacrifice fly by A.J. Gundler (Lincoln Trail).

The Joes added three more runs in the fifth inning starting with a two-run single by Bowen. Beggs then drove home Bowen with a double to left field.

The Locos scored a courtesy run in the sixth inning avoiding being shutout. Jimmy Dionne (Purdue University) doubled and scored on an RBI-single by GLSCL and NACSB Player of the Week Cameron Greene (Southeastern Louisiana University).

Hudson Boring (Panola CC) pitched a seven-inning complete game recording a season high eight strikeouts. Boring, only making his second start of the year after seven relief appearances, gave up just one run on four hits giving only just two walks.

The Joes will have a day off on Thursday in preparation of the its weekend home stand against the Muskegon Clippers. The Locos will lick its wounds hoping to bounce back on Friday traveling to face the Xenia Scouts.

GRAND LAKE MARINERS  vs.  MICHIGAN MONARCHS  -  FINAL

MONTGOMERY FIELD - The Grand Lakes Mariners stretch its winning streak to 15 games with a 9-2 victory over the Michigan Monarchs on Wednesday at Montgomery Field. The win surpasses the 14-game winning streak held by the Sandusky Bay Ice Haulers in 2021.

The first place Mariners (24-5) lead 3-2 before breaking the game wide open by scoring six runs in the seventh inning. 

The scoring spree started when Parker Vaughn (Lansing CC) scored on a wild pitch. The Mariners then scored on RBI-singles by four consecutive batters. Matthew Hutchinson (Yale University) delivered a two-run single, followed by RBI-singles by both Forrest Day (Centre College) and Solomon Harwood (University of Sciences & Arts). Noah Drake (Indiana University) capped the inning with his run producing base hit to center field.

Christian Douglass (Lansing CC) pitched three shutout innings out the bullpen earning his third win of the season. Douglass handed the ball off to Alex Dues (Marietta College) who faced the minimum pitching the final two innings securing the victory.

Sean Krueckeberg (Ashland University) was 2-for-3 at the plate for the Mariners with a solo homer, three runs scored and a stolen base.

Grand Lake swept its fifth consecutive series and haven't lost a game since a 10-0 loss at Flag City on June 21. An interesting note on that game is that it started at 1:05pm on Father's Day in Findlay.

The Mariners return to Marathon Diamonds on Friday night looking to avenge that loss when first pitch is schedule for 6:05pm.

FLAG CITY SLUGGERS  11  XENIA SCOUTS  3  -  FINAL

GRADY'S FIELD - The Flag City Sluggers put up crooked numbers in three consecutive innings securing a series victory over the struggling Xenia Scouts winning by a score of 11-3.

Flag City trailed 2-1 going into the sixth inning when the Sluggers scored six runs. Flag City tied the score 2-2 when Gino Williams (Millersville University) was issued a base loaded walk forcing home Atticus Huffstutler (University of Akron). Cameron Spezia (Oakland University) gave Flag City the lead with a two-run single. Williams scored on another bases loaded walk then both Kaden Ford (Transylvania University) and Miles Mitchell (New Orleans) delivered RBI-singles.

Enjoying a 7-2 advantage, Flag City scored twice more in both the seventh and eighth innings. 

Xenia rallied in the eight but were only able to score a single run when Dawson Cleveland (Harding University) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded forcing home Drew Snipes (Bluffton University). Unfortunately, the Scouts would leave the bases loaded in that eighth inning capping off a frighting trend.

Xenia had plenty of opportunities stranding a GLSCL-high for the season 15 runners on base. The Scouts left two or more runners on base in six out of the nine innings in the game. 

Mitchell and Spezia each provided three hits toward the Sluggers 15-hit ledger for the night. Aiden Booth (University of Findlay) scored a game-high three runs.

The two teams will play the only game in the GLSCL on Thursday when they meet up in Findlay at Marathon Diamonds for a 6:05pm scheduled first pitch.  

MUSKEGON CLIPPERS  VS.  SOUTHERN OHIO COPPERHEADS  -  DH

MARSH FIELD - The Southern Ohio Copperheads and Muskegon Clippers split a double header on Wednesday at Marsh Field in Muskegon.

The Copperheads took the first game 5-4 before he Clippers evened things out and winning the series with an 11-1 victory.

The Cheads starter Rylan Sams (Ohio University) went the distance throwing a seven-inning complete game. Sams helped a depleted pitching staff throwing 115 pitches on his way to seven strikeouts. He evened his record to 3-3 on the season giving up four runs, scattering nine hits and allowing three walks.

Southern Ohio scored four runs in the sixth inning overcoming a 4-1 deficit. Lance Morgan (High Point University) tied the game with a two-run double. Morgan later scored the go ahead when Nate Silvus (Davis & Elkins) was issued a bases loaded walk.

Morgan joined Eli Mandler (Seton Hill University) with two hits each for the Copperheads.

Muskegon bounced back in the night cap holding Southern Ohio to just three hits while putting up 11 runs and 10 hits on the scoreboard.

Brady Young (Saginaw Valley State) got the start going five innings improving his record to 3-0 on the season for the Clippers. Sam Briggs (Saginaw Valley State) and Jack Perry (University of Michigan) combined each pitching one shutout innings closing out the game.

Kaden Howard (Grand Valley State) went 4-for-4 at the plate with four RBIs, a double, a run scored and two stolen bases. Nolan Lasky (Grand Valley State) reached base and scored three times on a single and two walks. Ben Meyers (Aquinas College) hit his third home run of the season, a solo homer in the fourth inning.

The Clippers (15-15) series win keeps them in the hunt for the second playoff spot from the GLSCL North Division. Muskegon currently trails Flag City by just one-and-a-half games in the standings.

Muskegon will travel to Foundation Field facing the red hot Hamilton Joes for a weekend series. Southern Ohio (6-24) returns home hosting the Michigan Monarchs at Bob Wren Stadium.

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 eight active franchises in Ohio and Michigan boasting several players that have earned service time in major league baseball.