Picture credit to Dominic Carpenter

LIMA LOCOS  6  MUSKEGON CLIPPERS  5  - FINAL  

SIMMONS FIELD - The Lima Locos completed the three-game series sweep on the GLSCL Opening Weekend with a 6-5 victory over the Muskegon Clippers.

 

Lima broke a 5-5 tie when Locos center fielder Reese Borho (Abilene Christian) lead off the eight inning with a solo home run.

 

That run was all the Locos needed as Anthony Lairz (Central Florida) stuck out Casey Barnes (Chattanooga State Tech) for the final out of the game. Lairz, who pitched the final two innings for the Locos earned the victory out of the bullpen.

 

The game was a back-and-forth with two ties and four lead changes.

 

After the Clippers scored a run on a Lima error in the first inning, the Locos answered with a two-run double off the bat of Grant McGuire (Winthrop) in the bottom of the second inning.

 

Ashton Wong (Loyola Marymount) scored one of his three runs of the game on a wild pitch in the third inning tying the game 2-2.

 

Lima took the lead back 4-2 in the fourth when Borho, smacked a two-run single to center field. Borho would go on to deliver a 3-for-5 performance at the plate with three RBIs.

 

Wong’s three-run homer in the top of the sixth inning gave the Clippers a 5-4 lead. The Locos answered in the bottom of the inning tying the game 5-5 when Luke Mottola (Central Florida) scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Rose (South Florida).

 

With sweep of the opening weekend series the Locos begin the season with a 3-0 record for the first time since 2022.

 

On the other hand, Clippers are off to its first ever 0-3 start since joining the GLSCL in 2017.

 

After Monday’s off day, the Locos will go on the road for the first time this season making its first ever trip to Findlay taking on the Flag City Sluggers on Tuesday night.

 

The Clippers will use the day off preparing for its long awaited home opener at Marsh Field against the Michigan Monarchs.

 

 

MICHIGAN MONARCHS  5  FLAG CITY SLUGGERS  4 

HILLSDALE COLLEGE - The Michigan Monarchs begin the season 3-0 sweeping the Flag City Sluggers at Hill Stadium and TFO Partners Field with a 5-4 win.

 

Flag City gained its first lead in a game as a GLSCL franchise when the Sluggers scored in the top of the first inning. Jaxon Brown (Bowling Green State) grounded into a fielder’s choice driving un Harrison Engskov (Arkansas State).

 

The Monarchs answered scoring two runs in the second inning taking a 2-1 advantage.

 

Flag City ended up tying the game 3-3 in the fifth inning scoring a run each on a squeeze bunt and a pass ball. The Sluggers took a 4-3 lead in the sixth when Andrew Stechschulte (Ohio Northern) scored on a fielder’s choice.

 

Derek Ruiz (Macomb CC) gave the Monarchs a 5-4 lead when he was credited with a two-run triple in the bottom of the seventh inning.

 

Monarchs reliever Will Juday (Saginaw Valley State) held Flag City at bay stranding a pair base runners when the Sluggers rallied in the ninth inning.

 

Manny Gutierrez (Henry Ford CC) went 3-for-4 at the plate with two singles and a double for the Monarchs. Stechschulte and Will Lafferty (Marshall University) each provided two hits for the Sluggers.

 

After the day off on Monday the Monarchs will travel to Muskegon to the Clippers opponent for its home opener. The Slugger will be back at Marathon Diamonds hosting the Lima Locos for the start of a three-game series.

HAMILTON JOES  5  GRAND LAKE MARINERS  1 

MONTGOMERY FIELD - The Hamilton Joes went on the road securing the series victory thanks to a 5-1 win over the Grand Lake Mariners on Sunday in Celina.

 

All three games of the series were won by the visiting team as the Joes improves to 2-1 on the young season and the Mariners fall to 1-2.

 

Four Hamilton pitchers combined holding the Mariners offensive to just four hits. Starting pitcher Michael Bilo (George Mason) led the way for the Joes going four and 2/3 innings on the way to earning the victory. Bilo gave up just one run on three hits while striking out four batters.

 

The Joes broke up a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning on back-to-back run producing hits. Jaxon Christ (Lake Erie College) singled driving in Brett Denby (Georgia Tech) coming around to score himself on a double by Jackson Wang (Wabash Valley College).

 

Hamilton scored two unearned runs as insurance in the top of the ninth thanks to a costly Grand Lake error.

 

Christ was 3-for-4 scoring three of the Joes five runs in the game. Wang also chipped in with two hits totally five out of Hamilton’s nine team hits of the game.

 

Three Hamilton relievers, Devyn Mullins (Hanover College), Carson Brower (Bellarmine University) and Matty Helms (Northern Kentucky) combined to throw 4 and 1/3 shutout innings giving up just one hit.

 

After Monday’s off day the Joes will host the Southern Ohio Copperheads at Foundation Field on Tuesday. The Mariners will be on the road Tuesday traveling to Grady’s Field taking on the Xenia Scouts.

SOUTHERN OHIO COPPERHEADS  8  XENIA SCOUTS  6  - FINAL 

GRADY’S FIELD - The Southern Ohio Copperheads went on the road bringing home a 8-6 and series victory over the Xenia Scouts.

 

The Copperheads broke up 6-6 tie in the top of the ninth inning. Nathan Koster (Alpena CC) doubled driving in Alex Taylor (Ohio University) to break the tie. Jack Ferguson (Indian Tech) scored an insurance run from third base on a wild pitch.

 

Adam Wandzel (Northwood University) came out of the Copperheads bullpen retiring the Scouts in order in the ninth inning securing the victory for Southern Ohio.

 

The Scouts got off to a hot start scoring three times in the bottom of the first inning. 

 

Caleb Webster (Tusculum College) crossed the plate first when he stole third base and throw down from the Copperheads catcher went into left field. Carter Jackman (Mississippi College) and Andrew Sharp (Central Washington) each followed that with RBI-singles for the early 3-0 advantage.

 

Southern Ohio would take the lead 6-3 after scoring twice in the second inning and four more times in the third inning.  Ronnie Rowley (Hocking College) delivered the big hit in the third with a two-run base loaded single.

 

The Scouts answered scoring two runs in the fourth inning when Ryder Rutledge (Temple College) singled driving in Webster. Jackman followed with a sacrifice fly scoring Johnathan Jackson (Harding University) from third base.

 

Xenia tied the score 6-6 in the seventh inning thanks to sacrifice fly off the bat of Kaden Wu (Gateway CC) bringing home Bo Solley (Harding University).

 

On Tuesday the Copperheads travel to Foundation Field taking on the Hamilton Joes while Scouts host the Grand Lake Mariners.

 

 

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