GLSCL Recap - June 7

LIMA LOCOS  8  FLAG CITY SLUGGERS  3 -  FINAL  

SIMMONS FIELD - The Lima Locos snapped a team offensive slump winning the opening weekend series with an 8-3 victory over the Flag City Sluggers.

The Sluggers (1-2) got off to an early 2-0 advantage scoring twice in the third inning. Trenten Smith (Owens Community College) led off the inning reaching on a walk, stole second base and advanced to third on a fly out. Smith came around to score the first run of the game on a single to center field by Drew Tajblik (University of Toledo). Tajblik then scored on an RBI-single by Ty O'Brien (University of Toledo).

After not recording a hit in nine and 2/3 innings dating back to Saturday night, the Locos finally got its first hit in a clutch situation.

Elijah Buffaloe (Central Florida) reached on a walk advancing to second on a balk. The Sluggers decided to intentionally walk Jimmy Dionne (Purdue University) setting up a potential double play that could begin at either second or third base.

With one out, catcher Gabe Gonzalez (Mercer University) came to the plate showing that strategy was all for naught. Gonzalez launched a ball into the Locos bullpen over the left field fence for a three-run homer snapping the hitless drought. 

CLICK HERE to watch postgame interview with Gabe Gonzalez 

The Locos (2-1) never trailed again adding a run in the fifth when Tyler VanSumeren (Kennesaw State) single to center field driving home his college teammate Jin Kasuya.

The Sluggers scored a single run in the sixth inning but the Locos responded with two runs in both the seventh and eight innings putting the game out of reach.

VanSumeren continued his early season hot hitting with his second consecutive two-hit game. Nick Fumich (Gardner Webb) also added a pair of hits for the Locos.

The Locos benefited from a nice pitching performance for three different hurlers.

Garret Byrd (Winthrop University) got the start going the first four innings striking out six batter. Grant Jolly (Marshall University) was credited with the victory pitching three innings and recording four strikeouts. Adam Guillet (Louisiana Tech) retired six out for the seven batters that he faced going two innings earning the save.

O'Brien went 3-for-4 at the plate for the Sluggers with a double, two singles and a walk leading the way for Flag City.

After having Monday, off both teams will begin a new three-game series. Both teams will be at home on Tuesday with Lima hosting the Michigan Monarchs and the Sluggers welcoming in the Muskegon Clippers.

GRAND LAKE MARINERS  8  HAMILTON JOES  5  -  FINAL

FOUNDATION FIELD - The Grand Lake Mariners are the only GLSCL team to begin the season 3-0 after sweeping the Hamilton Joes with an 8-5 win on the road at Foundation Field.

The Mariners finished the last two seasons in last place with a combined 22 wins have gotten off to a hot start under the tutelage of new head coach Mike Roberts.

Roberts has quite the impressive resume spending 21 years (1978-98) as the head coach at the University of North Carolina. In summer ball, Roberts also spent stints in the Cape Cod League for both the Wareham Gateman (1984-2000) and the Cotuit Kettleers (2004-24).

The game on Sunday night was a nail biter until the ninth innings with the Mariners leading 3-2. The Mariners took the lead in the fifth inning breaking a 2-2 tie when Forrest Day (Centre College) scored on a double off the bat of Parker Vaughn (Lansing Community College).

Day, a Moeller High School graduate and Cincinnati area native, returned to his home region going 2-for-4 with two hits and a stolen base. 

Grand Lake exploded in the ninth inning crossing the plate five times. Day scored his second run of the game on a double by Matt Aldridge (Pitt Community College). Luke Wildes (St. John's River State College) delivered an RBI-single of his own followed by Aldridge scoring on a sacrifice fly by Huston Dunn (Ball State). Brandt Kendall (Ball State) topped off the inning with a two-run single chasing home Vaughn and Wildes.

The Mariners bullpen was shaky in the ninth inning for the second straight night but eventually got the job done.

The Joes (0-3) scored three times on the benefit of just one hit in the bottom of the ninth. Parker Falkenstein (Wright State) scored on a bases loaded walk issued to Brady Bowen. Kamden McAlpin (Eastern Kentucky transfer) scored from third base on a passed ball and Ryder Kirtley (Miami University), who recorded the only hit of the inning, crossed the plate on a wild pitch.

Elias Alvarado (St. John's River State College), the third pitcher used by the Mariners in the ninth inning, finally slammed the door earning the save. Alvarado retired both batters he faced striking out Preston Zumwalt (University of Toledo) and forced Alex Koelling (Miami University) to ground out for the game's final out.

The Mariners return home on Tuesday hosting the Xenia Scouts. The Joes remain at Foundation Field looking for its first win of the season welcoming in the Southern Ohio Copperheads.

XENIA SCOUTS  10  SOUTHERN OHIO COPPERHEADS  7 -  FINAL 

BROWNE STADIUM - The Xenia Scouts won the opening weekend series over the Southern Ohio Copperheads with a 10-7 victory on Grady's Field at Browne Stadium on Sunday night.

The Scouts (2-1) took the lead for good in bottom of the sixth inning scoring three times. The game had a total of two ties and lead changes through the first five and a half innings.

The Copperheads (1-2) broke a 5-5 tie in the fifth inning scoring twice in the top of the sixth inning without the benefit of a hit. Zach Reeder (Siena Heights) and Jayden Kennedy (Russell Sage College) each scored on a wild pitch giving Southern Ohio a 7-5 advantage.

The Scouts responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning and never trailed the rest of the game. Dawson Cleveland (Harding University) was forced home on a bases loaded walk issued to Bo Solley (Harding University) scoring the go ahead run.

Xenia scored single runs in both the seventh and eighth innings giving the Scouts the 10-7 win. 

Cole Rohlmeier (The Masters University) had a standout out game at the plate for the Scouts. Rohlmeier went 3-for-6 with a double, two runs scored and stole three bases.

Cleveland also doubled and drove in a game-high three RBI for the Scouts.

Both teams will enjoy the league wide off day on Monday before going its separate ways beginning a new three-game series on Tuesday. The Scouts travel to Celina taking on the undefeated Grand Lake Mariners while the Copperheads head to Foundation Field taking on the winless Hamilton Joes. 

MUSKEGON CLIPPERS 12 vs. MICHIGAN MONARCHS  7  -  FINAL/10 Innings 

HILL STADIUM - The Muskegon Clippers put in some overtime going on the road for the first time this season beating the Michigan Monarchs 12-7 in 10 innings.

The Monarchs (1-2) hosted the Clippers (2-1) in the rubber game of the three game series playing at Hill Stadium on the campus of Hillsdale College.

The game was tied 7-7 going at the end of the regulation nine innings before the Clippers exploded for five runs. The deficit was too much for Michigan to overcome as the Monarchs fell in its home opener of the season.

Both teams will travel to Ohio kicking off a mid week three-game series for each team.

The Monarchs will be at Simmons Field in Lima taking on the Locos. Muskegon will be in Findlay taking on the Flag City Sluggers at Marathon Diamonds.

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.