Picture credit to Brady Laber

 

FLAG CITY SLUGGERS  9  LIMA LOCOS  2  -  FINAL  

SIMMONS FIELD - The Flag City Sluggers scored nine unanswered runs on its way to a 9-2 victory over the first place Lima Locos at a packed Simmons Field on Fourth of July.

 

The Sluggers (13-10), who have now won six out its last seven games, retired the last 11 Locos batters it faced while not allowed a hit after the fifth inning.

 

The Flag City relievers combined for four hitless, scoreless innings only allowing one base runner.

 

The Lima defense also played a role in its own demise committing six errors in the field including three in the top of the sixth inning.

 

The Locos jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. 

 

Evan Holstein (Kennesaw State) lead off the inning with a single to right field. Holstein came around to score on an RBI-single by Luke Mottola (Central Florida). Brecken Menuet (Louisiana Tech) followed driving in David Falloon (Mercer University) with a double to left field.

 

After the quick Locos start, the Sluggers pitching staff shutdown the Locos only allowing two hits for the rest of the game.

 

Cameron Baker (Lincoln Trail) got the start on the mound going the first five innings earning the victory. Ben Best (Ohio Northern) pitched the next two innings with Ashton Williams (Little Rock) and Cooper Ashby (Redlands CC) each taking one inning or work.

 

At the plate, Flag City spread 11 hits across it lineup. Harrison Engskov (Arkansas State transfer), who is leading the GLSCL in batting average (.405), continued his hot hitting going 2-for-4.

 

Jaxon Brown and Brayden Curlis, a pair Bowling Green State Falcons during the spring time, each chipped in with two hits and two runs scored.

 

Chris Franks (Ashland University) also went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, a run scored and two stolen bases. Franks produced the very rare two-RBI infield single during the three-run eighth inning rally.

 

CLICK HERE for postgame interview with Chris Franks.

 

Flag City is now 13-4 after starting the season 0-6. The second place Sluggers gained a full game on the Locos in the GLSCL North Division standings.

 

Despite the loss in front of a capacity crowd who were also there to enjoy the annual fireworks show, the Locos (16-8) are still in the catbird seat in the North Division. Lima is three games in front of the Sluggers in the win column and two games ahead in the loss column.

 

The series continues on Saturday night at Simmons Field with first pitch scheduled for 7:05pm.

 

 

XENIA SCOUTS  8  GRAND LAKE MARINERS  5  -  FINAL

MONTGOMERY FIELD - The Xenia Scouts scored six runs in the top of the inning for an 8-5 come-from-behind road victory over the Grand Lake Mariners.

 

The Scouts went into its final at bat trailing 4-2. The end result was scoring six runs and taking the lead after batting around against the Mariners bullpen. The big blow was a grand slam off the bat at of left fielder Jacob Souders (Samford University).

 

Grand Lake scored a run in the bottom of the ninth but its wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit.

 

The Mariners wasted a great pitching performance from newcomer Cason Bennett (Chatham University). Bennett, making his season debut, started on the mound going seven innings striking out six batters. He gave up just two runs while scattering seven hits.

 

Xenia took the lead in the top of the first inning thanks to a two-run double by Troy Lynch (University of Minnesota Duluth).

 

The Mariners answered when Jacob Loving (Palomar College) scores on an RBI-single by his college teammate A.J. Klubeck. Grand Lake took the lead in third inning when Isaac Sobieszczyk (Bradley University) launched a two-run double to center field. They added an unearned run in the fifth taking a 4-2 advantage.

 

The Scouts loaded the bases leading off the ninth inning scoring first on a costly Grand Lake error. Xenia tied the score 4-4 when pinch hitter Will Lawrence (Samford University) delivered an RBI-single. Souders completed the comeback with the grand slam, his first home run of the season.

 

The Scouts (15-9) remain atop of the GLSCL South Division standings with the victory. The Mariners (8-16) will try to even the series on Saturday hosting the middle game of the series at Montgomery Field.

 

 

MUSKEGON CLIPPERS  5  MICHIGAN MONARCHS  3  -  FINAL 

MARSH FIELD - The Muskegon Clippers scored three runs in the eighth inning taking down its in-state rival Michigan Monarchs 5-3 on Friday night at Marsh Field.

 

Trailing 3-2 going into the eighth, Muskegon took the lead taking advantage costly mistakes including two Monarchs errors. 

 

Ethan Delgado (Ecclesia  College) reached base on a one-out error. The Clippers tied the game when Braden Graves (Chattanooga State Tech) reached on a second Monarchs error allowing Delgado to score. Connor Kelly (Northwood University) scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. Graves scored an insurance run when Casey Joppie (Saginaw Valley State) grounded into a fielder’s choice.

 

The Monarchs rallied in the ninth inning loading the bases with just one out. Clippers reliever Nathan Masar (Saginaw Valley State) slammed the door recording back-to-back strikeouts ending the threat and securing the victory.

 

Michigan (12-13) got off to a hot early start but ultimately could not hang on to an early 3-0 lead.

 

Wyatt Epple (Davenport University) lead off the game with a double to right field. Bren Wilkinson (Cal State Northridge transfer) singled to left field advancing Epple to third base. Epple scored on a double by Kenny McKinley (Middle Tennessee State). Wilkinson crossed the plate when Keegan Knupp (Eastern Michigan) grounded out and McKinley scored on a single to left by Justin Best (University of New Orleans).

 

The Clippers (10-15) scored twice in the sixth inning getting on the board when Graves belted an RBI-single driving home Ben Meyers (Lake Michigan College). Delgado scored his first run of the game on a sacrifice fly by Casey Barnes (Chattanooga State Tech).

 

The Muskegon pitching staff held the Monarchs scoreless after the first inning. Joseph Chrapliwy (Purdue Fort Wayne) went the first six innings giving up those three runs on seven hits. Matt Heflin (Chattanooga State Tech) bridged the gap pitching the seventh with Masar finishing off the final two frames.

 

The series continues Saturday night at Marsh Field with first pitch scheduled for 6:35pm.

 

 

SOUTHERN OHIO COPPERHEADS  11  HAMILTON JOES  1  -  FINAL/7 Innings 

FOUNDATION FIELD - The Southern Ohio Copperheads dominated the Hamilton Joes winning via the run-rule 11-1 at Foundation Field.

 

The Copperheads (10-14) scored four runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back. The Southern Ohio offense produced 12 hits and were also terrors on the base paths with nine stolen bases.

 

Haruta Endo (Minnesota West CC) was especially disruptive out of the leadoff spot in the Copperheads lineup. Endo went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and four stolen bases.

 

Ronnie Rowley (Hocking College) scored two runs and Will Heisler (University of Akron) crossed the plate three times while each swiping two bases.

 

Derek Occhipinti (University of Akron) lead the Southern Ohio hit parade going 3-for-4 at the plate.

 

Two Southern Ohio pitchers held the Joes to just one run on four hits. Luke Bryant (Ohio University) went the first six innings striking out six batters. Reon Iwase (Oxnard College) pitched the seventh inning closing out the Joes final threat.

 

The middle game of the series takes place with the Joes (13-12) hosting once again at Foundation Field with first pitch slated for 7:05pm

 

 

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.