LIMA, Ohio - The Cincinnati Steam went on a power surge Friday night at Simmons Field blasting eight home runs on the way to beating the Lima Locos 16-6. Cincinnati shortstop Will Vogelgesang (Miami University/McNicholas HS) and right fielder Jonathan Brus (Dayton/St. Xavier HS) each went yard twice leading the way for the Steam. 

The Steam (22-8) maintains its 1 and 1/2 game lead over the second place Southern Ohio Copperheads in the GLSCL South Division standings.

Cincinnati jumped out to an 8-0 lead and were cruising right along until the seventh inning.

Vogelgesang lead off the fourth with a solo home run and followed that with a two-run bomb in the fifth inning. Aaron Levy (Ohio University/Princeton HS) and Brus each smashed two-run homers in the sixth inning. 

Grant Macciocchi (Kentucky/Moeller HS) got the start for Cincinnati and earned the victory going six-plus innings and at one point retired 15 out of 17 batters. Macciocchi, who earned the victory, came out for the seventh inning but only face two batters, surrendering a two-run home run as Lima avoided the shutout. 

The Locos scored a total of five runs in the seventh inning cutting the deficit to 8-5.

The Steam came right back in the eighth inning with a leadoff homer by Ryan Fournier (Xavier University) and a two-run dinger by Bailey Montoya (Dayton/Moeller HS).  

Cincinnati scored five more runs in the ninth to finally put the game out of reach. Home runs by Griffin Bernardo (Central Florida) and Brus’ second long ball highlighted the run scoring barrage in the final inning.

Nick Byrnes (Ohio University/Moeller HS) gave up a hit in the ninth inning but held the Locos scoreless in the ninth inning. 

The Steam start a two-game series at Foundation Field on Saturday with the Hamilton Joes. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm and Jay Wilson (Miami University/Loveland HS) will be the starting pitcher for Cincinnati. Brady Laber will have the call on cincinnatisteam.com.

ABOUT THE CINCINNATI STEAM: The Cincinnati Steam has earned a spot in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League playoffs in 10 of its 12 seasons of existence. Three times the Steam has played in the GLSCL championship round including winning the title in both 2008 and 2009.

ABOUT THE GREAT LAKES SUMMER COLLEGIATE LEAGUE: The Great Lakes Summer Collegiate, which is entering its 30th season, is a wood-bat league that is certified by the NCAA and is partially funded by Major League Baseball. The league boasts several players that have earned service time in major league baseball including six former Steam players.