By Eli Halverson | July 31, 2025

After a dominant sweep of the Xenia Scouts, the Hamilton Joes advanced to the GLSCL Championship Series and now find themselves battling the Lima Locos for the title. As the lower seed, Hamilton would be on the road for games two and three—but first, they had a chance to make a statement in Game One at home at Foundation Field.

Defense was the story early. 

Dale Ellis got the start for Hamilton and breezed through two quick, scoreless innings before trouble brewed in the third. A leadoff double off the left field wall, followed by two infield hits, loaded the bases with nobody out for Lima. But the Joes’ defense delivered. A clutch 6-4-3 double play brought home a run but recorded two key outs. Then, with another run threatening to score, center fielder Mark Nowak made a spectacular diving catch to end the inning and keep it 1-0.

Hamilton responded in the bottom half. A single from Aidyn Coffey, followed by a walk and hit batter, loaded the bases with two outs for their go-to hitter, Jackson Wang. Wang connected on a hard-hit ball that looked destined to bring in runs, but Locos shortstop Marwynn Matthews made a leaping grab to rob him and end the threat.

The defensive highlight reel continued in the fourth. After a leadoff single for Lima, Coffey made a slick pick on a sharp grounder to third, starting a smooth 5-4-3 double play to erase the runner and end the frame.

But as the game went on, the story became the pitching. Lima starter Brady Koester was dominant, spinning six shutout innings with just two hits and seven strikeouts. Ellis kept Hamilton within striking distance, tossing five innings of one-run ball despite working around six hits and a few jams.

The Joes finally broke through in the bottom of the seventh. After a pitching change, Coffey walked, Nowak reached on catcher’s interference, and Jaxson Christ singled to load the bases with no outs. Brett Denby lifted a deep fly to left that stayed in the park but was deep enough for a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 1-1. With two runners still on, Christopher Roa roped a single to right, and Nowak was waved home—but was tagged out at the plate. Frustrated, he was ejected after exchanging words with the umpire. A flyout ended the inning with the score still tied.

That missed opportunity proved costly.  

Lima capitalized in the top of the eighth, stringing together a single, four walks, a passed ball, and a wild pitch to plate three backbreaking runs. The Joes were suddenly trailing 4-1 with just six outs to work with.

Hamilton made one last push in the ninth. Two leadoff walks gave them life, but a strikeout, groundout, and another strikeout sealed the deal for Lima, who took Game One on the road and now sit one win away from a league title.

It’s a gut-wrenching loss for the Joes. With only one home game in the series, this was their best shot to control the series. Now, they’ll need to win back-to-back games on the road in Lima to keep their championship hopes alive.

Game Two is set for 7:05 PM Friday night at Simmons Field.