Picture credit to Jacob Fabry

HAMILTON, Ohio - The Hamilton Joes advance to the GLSCL championship series with a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over the Lima Locos at Foundation Field. The Joes sweep the best of three-game semi-final round series and now await the winner of the other semi-final round series between the Michigan Monarchs and the Muskegon Clippers.

The Joes made yet another comeback scoring three runs in the seventh inning. Paul Osting (Western Illinois) hit a triple that fell just inside the right field foul line driving in Tommy Harrison (Miami University) and Charlie Schebler (University of Akron) giving the Joes a 5-4 lead.

Hamilton scored an important insurance run which turned out to be the game winner when Osting scored on a sacrifice fly by Braxton Baird (Milligan College).

The Locos cut the Joes advantage to 6-5 in the eighth inning when Sebastian Alexander (Coastal Carolina) grounded into a fielder’s choice driving in Justin Gorski (Miami University).

Lima rallied in the ninth inning facing elimination in its defense of last season’s league championship. The Locos had both the tying and go ahead runs in scoring position with two outs. 

The Joes brought in hard throwing left hander Parker Dillhoff (University of Louisiana) who slammed the door striking out Gorski ending the threat.

The comeback victory was Hamilton’s 13th of the season in its 28 overall wins.

Hamilton was lead at the plate by left fielder Brayden Fraasman (North Carolina State). Fraasman, who attended nearby Ross High School where he was the starting quarterback on the football team, went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. He ended the regular season leading the GLSCL with a .370 batting average.

CLICK HERE to watch the post game interfere with Brayden Fraasman.

The Locos got off to a great start taking an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Alexander cleared the bases with a three-run double but was caught in a run down and tagged out trying to extend it a triple. For the night, Alexander drove in a game-high four RBIs.

The Joes chipped away eventually tying the score 3-3. An-RBI double and run-scoring single by Cam Gilkerson (Wright State) along with a sacrifice fly by Ryan Novak (Miami University) did the trick.

The Locos took the lead back 4-3 in the fifth inning. Bo Shinkle (Kent State transfer) crossed the plate as the Joes infield turned an around-the-horn double play.

Eric Rawlings (Western Illinois) bridged the gap to the back end of Hamilton’s bullpen. Rawlings, another local product from Badin High School, earned the victory throwing four innings out of the bullpen. He struck three batters retiring the first eight batters that faced.

With the defending champion Locos now out of the field, Hamilton looks to win its fifth league title. The best-of-three championship series begins Monday at either Muskegon or in Spring Arbor, Michigan.

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