Picture credit to Reagan Neal

MUSKEGON CLIPPERS  11  FLAG CITY SLUGGERS  10  -  FINAL  

MARATHON DIAMONDS - The Muskegon Clippers win a wild back-and-forth affair on its way to gaining a series sweep taking down the Flag City Sluggers 11-10.

The Clippers (14-16) move up in the GLSCL North Division standings after winning its fourth straight game and five out of its last six.

The game was not without controversy as the Clippers played the game under protest. The Sluggers made an eighth inning pitching change bringing in a relief pitcher for the third consecutive game. 

The Sluggers led 2-1 through the first five innings when Muskegon took its first lead of the game. The Clippers scored four times taking a 5-2 advantage.

Casey Barnes (University of Northwestern Ohio) scored after a sacrifice fly by Nolan Zajac (Western Michigan). Ashten Wong (LSU Shreveport) was forced home when Aidan Robinson (Northwood University) worked a bases loaded walk. Davis Weeks (Michigan State) crossed the pay station when Ben Meyers (Lake Michigan College) hit a sacrifice fly. Taylor Head (Chattanooga State Tech) delivered an RBI-single driving in Cole Leclair (Texas A&M Texarkana).

The Sluggers quickly answered tying the score 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth. Jaxon Brown (Bowling Green State) smacked a two-run single plating both Harrison Engskov (Arkansas State transfer) and Drew Stechschulte (Ohio Northern). Caleb Smith (Three Rivers CC) scored the tying run on an RBI-single by Ryan Ruch (Cal State Bakersfield).

Flag City doubled up the Clippers in the seventh inning scoring five runs and taking a 10-5 lead.

Chris Franks (Ashland University) gave the Sluggers the lead when his RBI-single allowed Will Lafferty (Marshall University) to score. Brett Reed (Lawrence University) scored on a bases loaded walk to Rylan Mills (Southeast Missouri State). Ruch struck again this time with a two-run base hit and then later scored from third base on a wild pitch.

The pitching change controversy took place in the top of the eighth with Sluggers having to make a different pitching substitution with the bases loaded and two outs. 

Wong promptly hit a two-run double followed by Weeks hitting a two-single making the score 10-9 still in favor of the Sluggers.

The Clippers scored twice in the ninth taking the lead. Robinson scored on an error tying the game while Head scored the game winning run on an RBI base hit by Jack Bakus (Lansing CC).

Weeks came on to the mound for the ninth after spending the first eight innings as the designated hitter. He retired the side in order putting an end to the three and a half hour get away day contest.

Muskegon is now in third place in the North Division one game ahead of the Sluggers (13-15) and just one game behind the second place Michigan Monarchs (15-15).

The Clippers return to Muskegon hosting the Southern Ohio Copperheads. The Sluggers continue its longest home stand of the season hosting the Grand Lake Mariners for a double header on Friday.

SOUTHERN OHIO COPPERHEADS  7  GRAND LAKE MARINERS  6  -  FINAL

MONTGOMERY FIELD - The Southern Ohio Copperheads broke up a 6-6 tie in the eight inning winning the rubber game of the three-game series defeating the Grand Lake Mariners 7-6 in Celina.

Derek Occhipinti (University of Akron) lead off the eighth inning reaching on a walk. Occhipinti advanced to second base on a wild pitch and to third on a groundout. He scored what turned out to be the winning run on another wild pitch.

Tyler Pfirrmann (Adrian College) held the Mariners offensive at bay pitching two shutout innings securing the victory for the Copperheads. Pfirrmann stranded the potential tying run in scoring position when he recorded back-to-back strikeouts ending the game.

The Copperheads took an early 2-0 lead scoring twice out of the gate in the top of the first inning. Brendan Willadsen  (Adrian College) and Occhipinti each contributed an RBI-singles for Southern Ohio.

The Mariners scored five runs in the third inning taking a 5-2 advantage. Brandon Lang (Southwestern University) started the rally with a two-run single. Isaac Sobieszczyk (Bradley University) scored on an RBI-single by Chase Alwardt (University of Indianapolis). Ryker Hughes (University of Indianapolis) capped the scoring with a two-RBI single to center field driving home Lang and Alwardt.

The Copperheads retook the lead 6-5 scoring four runs in the fourth inning. Tylan Graves (Southwest Tennessee CC) doubled allowing Reed Woodland (Trinity  University) to score the tying run and Haruta Endo (Minnesota West CC) the go ahead run. 

Grand Lake tied the game 6-6 in the fifth inning when Lang scored from third base on a wild pitch setting the stage for Southern Ohio’s final comeback. 

Graves (3-for-5) and Occhipinti (3-for-3) lead the Copperheads with six of its ten hits on the night.

The Copperheads travel to Muskegon for a weekend series with the Clippers while the Mariners play a double header in Findlay against the Flag City Sluggers.

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.