Mariners Power Past Sluggers in Twinbill Sweep
FINDLAY, OH — The Flag City Sluggers dropped both ends of a doubleheader to the league-leading Grand Lake Mariners at Fifth Third Field. The Mariners showed exactly why they hold the league's top record, combining explosive power in the opener and opportunistic baserunning in the nightcap to deal the Sluggers 10-2 and 4-2 defeats.
The setbacks halt Flag City’s three-game winning streak, moving their overall record to 17-15 on the summer.
Game 1: Mariners 10, Sluggers 2
The afternoon opener got away from the Sluggers almost immediately. Grand Lake exploded for five runs in the top of the first inning, punctuated by a three-run home run from Sean Krueckeberg.
Flag City starter Grady Mason (0-2) settled in briefly but was chased in the third inning after the Mariners tacked on two more. CJ Filipek added a late exclamation point for Grand Lake with a home run of his own, finishing the game with a towering five RBIs.
The Sluggers generated a few bright spots on the basepaths, swiping four bases—including steals by Drew Tajblik, Aiden Booth, Jovanny Skrelja, and Draden Wardrop—but struggled to string hits together. Gino Williams drove in a run with an RBI single, and Kaden Ford added a sacrifice fly, but the deficit was simply too large to overcome in the seven-inning contest. Elias Alvarado (3-1) earned the win in relief for the Mariners.
Game 2: Mariners 4, Sluggers 2
The nightcap proved to be a much tighter, pitch-by-pitch battle, but early walks and double plays ultimately doomed the Sluggers' chances at a split.
Flag City starter Tate Martino (0-3) flashed dominant stuff with five strikeouts in 3.0 innings, but struggled with his command, issuing four walks. Grand Lake scratched across a run in the first and added two more in the fourth via a Parker Vaughn RBI double and a sacrifice fly to take a 3-0 lead.
Mariners starter Cournell Bennett McCoy (2-0) kept the Sluggers completely off-balance through four frames, striking out six and limiting Flag City to three hits. When the Sluggers did threaten, the Mariners’ defense turned three crucial double plays to completely kill any momentum.
Flag City mounted a late rally in the bottom of the seventh against the Grand Lake bullpen. Miles Mitchell and Aiden Booth walked to kickstart the frame, and Jovanny Skrelja drove in a run with an RBI single to bring the tying run to the plate. However, Mariners closer Alex Dues locked things down to secure the save and complete the twinbill sweep.
Key Team Stats
Flag City Sluggers (Combined Doubleheader)
Jovanny Skrelja (CF): 2-for-6, RBI, SB
Gino Williams (1B): 1-for-3, RBI (Game 1)
Braylon Sheefel (P): 4.1 total IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
Grand Lake Mariners (Combined Doubleheader)
CJ Filipek (1B): 2-for-3, HR, 5 RBI (Game 1)
Sean Krueckeberg (DH/P): 1-for-3, HR, 3 RBI (Game 1)
Brandt Kendall (RF): 2-for-3, BB, SB (Game 2)
Up Next
Flag City hits the road to Celina, Ohio, on Sunday to take on Grand Lake at Montgomery Field. First pitch is slated for 4:05 PM.
