GLSCL Recap - July 16

GRAND LAKE MARINERS  10  LIMA LOCOS  9  -  FINAL

MONTGOMERY FIELD - The Grand Lake Mariners avoided being swept in its four-game series salvaging a 10-9 win on Thursday at Montgomery Field.

Grand Lake trailed 9-5 going into the bottom of the sixth inning when the Mariners began its comeback scratching out three runs.

With the bases loaded and nobody out, Brandt Kendall (Ball State University) hit a high line drive to the right side of the infield that Lima second basemen Parker Dastou (Mercer University) leaped high for but couldn't come up with the catch. The ball popped out of the webbing of Dastou's glove allowing Kendall to reach base safely and Solomon Harwood (University of Sciences & Arts of Oklahoma) to score from third base.

The bases were still loaded when the next batter, C.J. Filapek (Lawrence University), grounded into what appeared to be a double play. Instead the throw to second base was errant, one of four Lima errors on the night, allowing two more runs to score. Once the smoke cleared in the inning the Locos lead was shaved to 9-8.

The Mariners rallied again in the eighth inning starting with a leadoff single by Kendall. The bases become loaded again and with Kendall now on third base. Noah Drake (Indiana University) dropped a duck snort into shallow right field allowing Kendall to race home tying the score 9-9.

The Mariners took the lead when Forrest Day (Centre College) hit a sacrifice fly to left field and Filapek tagged up scoring the go ahead run.

Alex Dues (Marietta College) came out for his third inning of work out for the bullpen and retired the Locos in order securing the victory. Dues, improved his record to 6-0 on the season which leads the GLSCL in victories.

Brandt had one of his best games of the season going 4-for-5 at the plate. The Mariners right fielder was just a home run shy of the cycle with two singles, a double and a triple. He also scored two runs and drove in three RBIs.

CLICK HERE to watch postgame interview with Brandt Kendall

The Locos got off to the big early lead thanks to the offensive prowess of its catcher Gabe Gonzalez (Mercer University). Gonzalez got the scoring started with a first inning two-run single. He followed that during the Locos five-run second inning hitting a three-run homer over the batter's eye in straight away center field. Gonzalez finished with a season-high six RBIs after an RBI-single in the sixth inning.

After Thursday's win the South Division leading Mariners improved its record to 28-8 on the season. Grand Lake is now one game ahead of the Locos (27-9) for the best record in the league and the overall number seed in the
GLSCL playoffs.  

On Friday the Mariners travel to Athens taking on the Southern Ohio Copperheads at Bob Wren Stadium. The Locos return home hosting a three-game weekend home stand against the Muskegon Clippers.

Four games at three venues cancelled!

The dangerous air quality levels as a result of the Canadian wild fires reeked havoc on the rest of the GLSCL schedule. Events at three venues were cancelled and will not be rescheduled with the season winding down and no available make dates in the calendar.

The following four games were cancelled and will not be made up. The Hamilton Joes versus Michigan Monarchs double header plus the Flag City Sluggers verses Southern Ohio Copperheads and Muskegon Clippers versus Xenia Scouts matchups all bit the dust.

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.