Picture credit to Athletes in Action

 

XENIA SCOUTS  13  FLAG CITY SLUGGERS  6  -  FINAL

MARATHON DIAMONDS - The Xenia Scouts keep up the pace as they zero in the GLSCL South Division title with a 13-6 win on the road over the Flag City Sluggers.

 

The Scouts (23-14) has whittled its magic number down to one game as they hold a five-game lead over the Hamilton Joes with five regular season games left to play.

 

Noah Manasan (Arizona Christian University) was the biggest bat in the Scouts 13-hit attack. Manasan reached base in all of his six plate appearances. The Xenia second baseman working out of the leadoff spot in the lineup was 4-for-4 with two walks scoring three runs and driving in three RBIs.

 

It was death by a thousand paper cuts as all of the Scouts 13 hits were singles. Johnathan Jackson (Harding University), Roland Reyes (Westmont College) and Kaden Wu (Taylor University each chipped in with two hits apiece.

 

Nick Rodriguez (Wiley College) improved his record to 4-0 on the season getting the start and pitching five innings. Rodriguez gave up just one run on two hits walking two batters and recorded three strikeouts.

 

The Sluggers (17-18) never gave in not allowing itself to be run-ruled despite being on the verge of that fate in both in the seventh and eight innings. 

 

Trailing 13-2 going into the bottom of the eighth, Flag City scored three runs extending the game. Hayden Gilmore (Three Rivers CC) hit a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth further narrowing the deficit.

 

The series continues with the rubber game taking place Saturday night in Findlay with first pitch scheduled for 7:05pm.

 

 

MICHIGAN MONARCHS  13  SOUTHERN OHIO COPPERHEADS  1  -  FINAL/7 Innings

BOB WREN STADIUM - The Michigan Monarchs inch closer to a second straight playoff appearance with a convincing 13-1 run-rule victory on the road over the Southern Ohio Copperheads.

 

The Monarchs (20-17) win its 20th game of the season and are now one full game ahead of the Muskegon Clippers in second place in the GLSCL North Division standings.

 

Michigan put up crooked numbers on the scoreboard early and often. The Monarchs plated three runs in each of the first, third, fourth and fifth innings.

 

Kenny McKinley (Middle Tennessee State), a GLSCL all-star outfielder, was just one of the offensive leaders for the Monarchs going 3-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs, a sacrifice fly and a run scored.

 

Kooper Etheridge (Madonna University) also contributed three hits going 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored.

 

Matthew Hubbard (Michigan State) got the start and pitched three shutout inning giving up just one hit with three strikeouts and two walks. However, Hubbard didn’t factor into the decision since he didn’t pitch the minimum five innings to be eligible for being credited the victory.

 

Antonio Biggs (University of Olivet transfer) did improve his record to 3-0 with four innings of stellar relief work earning the victory. Biggs gave up just one run on two hits with two strikeouts and allowed just two walks.

 

The Copperheads (13-21) avoided being shut out when Reed Woodland (Trinity University) scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ronnie Rowley (MidAmerican Nazarene University).

 

The series continues when the two teams return to Bob Wren Stadium with a 7:05 affair on Saturday night in Athens.

 

 

MUSKEGON CLIPPERS  5  HAMILTON JOES  4  -  FINAL

FOUNDATION FIELD - The Muskegon Clippers held off a late comeback defeating the Hamilton Joes 5-4 Friday night at Foundation Field.

 

Hamilton trailed 5-1 going into its final at bat in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Joes scored three times and had the bases loaded with the tying run on third base with all-star Christopher Roa (Miami University) at the plate.

 

Roa chopped a ball toward Clippers shortstop Taylor Head (Chattanooga State Tech). Head fielded it and double clutched thinking momentarily about throwing the ball home but instead threw to first base. The low throw was short hopped with first baseman Jake Bakus (Lansing CC) digging it out for the turf beating Roa to the bag by an eyelash for the game’s final out.

 

The win for the Clippers (19-18) keeps them in the hunt for the second playoff spot in the GLSCL North Division standings just behind the Michigan Monarchs (20-17).

 

Muskegon took an early lead 1-0 lead in the second inning when Ben Meyers (Lake Michigan College) scored on an RBI-groundout by Cole Mason (Grand Valley State).

 

The Clippers opened it up in the third inning scoring three runs. Newcomer Parker Vaughn (Lansing CC), making his season debut, drove home Head with a sacrifice fly. Meyers delivers a sacrifice fly of his own allowing Jackson Isaacs (Kalamazoo College) to score from third base. Bakus then scored on a wild pitch with Mason at the plate.

 

Brendan Mullin (Wabash Valley College) came on to pitch for the Joes out of the bullpen quieting the Clippers bats. Mullin went five and 2/3 innings only allowing one unearned run in the top of the ninth inning. He struck out three batters and scattered five hits.

 

The Joes (18-18) scored its first run in the fifth inning off Clippers starter Connor Freeman (St. Edwards University). Mark Rutherford (University of Dayton) hit a sacrifice fly driving in Jaxson Christ (Lake Erie College).

 

Freeman would earn the victory evening his record to 2-2 on the season. He went six innings giving up just one run and two hits while registering four strikeouts and walking four batters.

 

The Joes came to the plate in the ninth inning behind 5-1 and ended up sending nine batters to the plate.

 

Diego DeCello (Marietta College) lead off with a single and  Brett Denby (Wright State) reached on an error. The Joes used its first out of the inning when they asked Brandon McGeorge (Miami University Hamilton) to lay down a sacrifice bunt advancing DeCello to third and Denby into scoring position at second. 

 

Mark Nowak (Northern Kentucky) grounded out to Bakus at first base allowing DeCello to score making 5-2 but the Joes were now down to its final out.

 

After Mark Iozoo (Miami University) was hit by a pitch and with Cody Miller (Lake Erie College) at the plate Muskegon uncorks a wild pitch allowing Denby to score from third making it 5-3.

 

Miller and then Christ were walked in back-to-back plate appearances loading the bases. 

 

Ethan Bowen (Aquinas College) was brought in from the Clippers bullpen and after walking Christ he forced in a run by hitting Jackson Wang (Wabash Valley College) with a pitch making it 5-4.

 

Bowen was able to get out of the jam stranding the bases loaded with the tying run at third base and the go-ahead run on second base by getting Roa to bounce out ending the game.

 

Head finished with three hits for the Clippers while Bakus had two doubles.

 

The season is scheduled to wrap up with a double header on Saturday in Hamilton with first pitch taking place at 4:05pm.

 

LIMA LOCOS  vs.  GRAND LAKE MARINERS  -  FINAL

SIMMONS FIELD - The Lima Locos had its third consecutive game rained out when its was announced Friday night’s game at Simmons Field was postponed.

 

The Locos and the Grand Lake Mariners will make it up on Saturday in Lima as part of a double header beginning at 12pm.

 

 

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.