Picture credit to Hailey Pettit

FLAG CITY SLUGGERS  7  HAMILTON JOES  2  -  FINAL

MARATHON DIAMONDS - The Flag City Sluggers made history winning its first home game in franchise history taking down the Hamilton Joes 7-2 in Findlay.

 

The win for Flag City was its sixth in a row evening its record to 6-6 on the season.

 

Findlay native Ben Best (Ohio Northern) started on the mound for Flag City pitching three shutout innings without giving up a hit. The Sluggers sent six more pitchers to the mound, throwing one inning apiece, scattering just three hits and surrendering only two unearned runs.

 

The Flag City offense was efficient only needing seven hits to score its seven runs. The biggest blow was a two-run homer off the bat off Charlie Smith (Southwest Tennessee CC) in the eighth inning. 

 

Tanner Powell (South Arkansas CC) provided a multi-hit game for the Sluggers going 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of singles.

 

The Hamilton offense was stymied by the parade of Flag City pitchers. The Joes could only muster three singles for the game. Two of those hits were run producing, one each for Jackson Wang (Wabash Valley) and Brett Denby (Georgia Tech). 

 

Despite the loss, the Joes (7-6) remain atop of the GLSCL South division standings just a half game ahead of the Xenia Scouts.

 

The Sluggers look to continue its winning streak and get above the .500 mark for the fist on Saturday as the two teams meet again at Marathon Diamonds. 

GRAND LAKE MARINERS  6  MICHIGAN MONARCHS  5  -  FINAL

MONTGOMERY FIELD - The Grand Lake Mariners scored three runs in the seventh inning defeating the first place Michigan Monarchs 6-5 on Friday night at Montgomery Field.

 

Grand Lake went into the seventh inning stretch trailing the Monarchs 5-2.

 

Ty O’Brien (University of Toledo) got the rally started leading off the bottom of the seventh with a double. O’Brien advanced to third on a wild pitch scoring on an RBI-groundout by Chase Alwardt (University of Indianapolis).

 

The Mariners tied the game 5-5 on what could best be described as a little league home run. 

 

Sammy Besztery (University of Rochester) came to the plate with two outs and teammate Jacob Loving (Palomar College) on first base after reaching on an error.

 

Besztery topped a ball that weakly bounced in the infield half way up the third base line. Monarchs pitcher Johnny Stavola (Michigan-Dearborn) fielded it throwing the ball past the first baseman and down the line into right field. Loving scored easily with Besztery hustled behind him rounding the bases. Besztery barely broke stride at third base before realizing he had a chance to score. Besztery raced home beating the throw head first sliding with the tying run.

 

Sage Adams (Purdue Fort Wayne) reached on the third Monarchs error of the inning advancing to third base on an errant throw. Adams would score the go ahead run from third base on a balk.

 

Nate Miller (New College of Florida) did the rest for the Mariners as he set down the Monarchs in the final two innings. Miller earned his first victory of the season during his first appearance out of the bullpen. He pitched two and 1/3 shutout innings giving up just one hit and one walk while striking out three batters.

 

The Monarchs offense produced 13 hits on a night when its was failed by its defense that committed five costly errors. Wyatt Epple (Davenport University) and Bren Wilkinson (Cal State Northreidge transfer) each produced three hits.

 

Despite the loss, the Monarchs (8-5) remains on top of the GLSCL North Division standings just half a game ahead of the Lima Locos.

 

The series continues at Montgomery Field on Saturday for the middle-game with first pitch scheduled for 6:35pm.

 

 

SOUTHERN OHIO COPPERHEADS  7  LIMA LOCOS  6  -  FINAL

SIMMONS FIELD - The Southern Ohio Copperheads held off a late comeback in a 7-6 road win over the Lima Locos at Simmons Field. 

 

The Copperheads (6-7) took a 7-0 lead during the middle innings and were cruising along into the late innings. 

 

Derek Occhipinti (University of Akron) produced the first three Southern Ohio runs with an RBI-double followed by a two-run single.

 

Southern Ohio scored four more runs in the fifth inning on the benefit of just one hit. Three Lima errors helped do in the Locos during the course of the game.

 

The Lima offense woke up in the seventh inning igniting the comeback scoring four times and cutting the deficit to 7-4.

 

Braydon Kersey (Mercer University) delivered an RBI-single scoring on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Luke Mottola (Central Florida). Grant McGuire (Winthrop University) scored on an error and Mottola was driven in on a Matt Rose (South Florida) RBI-single.

 

The Locos (7-5) scored twice more in the eighth inning making it a one-run game. Kersey lead off with a double crossing the plate when Evan Holstein (Kennesaw State) doubled as well. Holstein, making his season debut for the Locos, scored making it 7-6 on an RBI-single by pinch hitter Charlie Vercruysse (Notre Dame transfer).

 

Jacob Ruiz (Ohlone College) was brought in from the Copperheads bullpen to put out the fire. Ruiz eventually got out of the jam with no further damage.

 

Ruiz struck out the side in the ninth only giving up a double to Kersey as the Copperheads hung on for the 7-6 victory.

 

Kersey went 4-for-5 with two doubles for the Locos with an RBI and two runs scored.

 

Brady Fitzpatrick (Ball State transfer) pitched three and 1/3 innings out of the Lima bullpen striking 10 batters. Fitzpatrick scattered three hits but all of the outs he recorded were on strikeouts.

 

The two teams return to Simmons Field on Saturday  night for the second game of the three-game series with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05pm.

 

 

MUSKEGON CLIPPERS  9  XENIA SCOUTS  2  -  FINAL

MARSH FIELD - The Muskegon Clippers treated its home crowd at Marsh Field to a 9-2 victory over the visiting Xenia Scouts.

 

After a 1-8 start to the season, Muskegon is currently enjoying a four-game winning steak after the Friday night win.

 

The Clippers (5-8) offensive produced 12 hits with three different batters contributing with multi-hit games.

 

Cole Leclair (Texas A&M Texarkana) led the way going 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Jack Bakus was 2-for-5 with a three-run double in the fourth inning. Jackson Isaacs (Kalamazoo College) finished the game with two doubles, a run scored and an RBI.

 

Trevor Raade (Western Michigan University) evened his record to 1-1 on the season pitching two innings out of the Muskegon bullpen. Raade struck out five of the six batters that he retired during his stint on the mound.

 

Maxwell Salas (Northwood University) and Lukas Brewer (Lansing CC) combined pitching the final four innings. Salas and Brewer went two innings each holding the Scouts scoreless from the sixth through ninth innings.

 

The Scouts (6-6) unconventionally manufactured both of its runs in the game.

 

Xenia had the bases loaded when a dropped third strike allowed Ayden Alsobrooks (East Mississippi College) to score for third base.

 

Rolen Reyes (Westmont College) scored the other run on a steal of home on a double steal attempt during the sixth inning.

 

The weekend series continues on Saturday with the Clippers going for five in a row hosting the Scouts at 6:35pm.

 

 

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.