By Jacob Russell

CINCINNATI, Ohio - The Steam’s power surge in the final three innings wasn’t enough to overtake Xenia. 

Both teams scored in the first inning, but Cincinnati still couldn’t find a lead. Steven Saunders’ (Cochise College) bases-loaded single in the top of the first knocked in the first two Scouts runs. Warsaw Federal Player of the Game Braydon Runion (Walters State CC) secured his first of three RBIs by plating left fielder Grant Richardson (Indiana) with a single.

A leadoff double and three consecutive singles in the top of the third doubled Xenia’s runs and sent Steam starting pitcher Andrew Noelker (Cincinnati) packing after only three innings. Noelker, the losing pitcher who now has a 3-1 record and a 1.75 ERA, gave up seven hits and four earned runs, struck out one and walked three. 

Casey Grimm (Wright State Lake), a southpaw who was the first out of Cincinnati’s bullpen, struggled in his second inning of relief. A fielder’s choice and a sacrifice fly to center in the fifth gave the Scouts their last two runs and a 6-1 lead.

Xenia was in the driver seat after six innings thanks to another quality start from their rotation. Cody Kanclerz (Hillsdale College), who is now 2-0 with this win, allowed only six hits and one earned run while striking out three and walking one. 

The bottom of the seventh, and Scouts reliever Christopher Mosley’s (Houghton College) summer, began with a first-pitch homer off the bat of shortstop Tyler Wardwell (Duke), his first of the season. Runion got Richardson home for the second time later in the inning, this time in a fielder’s choice, to make the score 6-3.  

Jared Couch relieved his Houghton College teammate after Mosley’s lone inning. Couch allowed two solo home runs, Griffin Merritt’s (Cincinnati) fourth in the eighth inning and Runion’s fifth in the ninth inning, but still left the game with his third save of the summer and a 6-5 victory. 

While his team was inching closer to Xenia towards the end of the game, Steam reliever Cade Spikes (North Greenville) shut down the Scouts by allowing only one hit in three innings. 

Wright State’s Jake Schrand (1-1, 2.29 ERA) is Cincinnati’s probable starter for Thursday’s game at Xenia. Brock Nartker (1-0, 2.57 ERA), who is also from Wright State, is projected to start our next home game on July 12 against the Richmond Jazz.

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