FLAG CITY SLUGGERS 7 HAMILTON JOES 6 - FINAL
FOUNDATION FIELD - The Flag City Sluggers go on the road clinching the series victory with a 7-6 win over the Hamilton Joes.
Flag City (7-7) has to currently be considered the hottest team in the GLSCL. After dropping it first six games of the season the Sluggers record in its next eight games sits at 7-1.
The Sluggers struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Will Lafferty (Marshall University) trotted in for the game’s first run on a sacrifice fly by Andrew Stechschulte (Ohio Northern). Caleb Smith (Three Rivers CC) followed with and RBI-single driving in Tanner Powell (South Arkansas CC).
After the Joes answered with a run in the third, the Sluggers struck again, this time with four runs in the fourth inning.
Chris Franks (Ashland University) dropped a little duck snort into shallow left field falling between four Hamilton defenders. Brayden Curlis (Bowling Green State) scored on the the play from third base.
Powell followed with a two-run single driving in Franks and Matt Gardner (Little Rock). A costly Hamilton error allowed Powell to score giving the Sluggers a 6-1 advantage.
Hamilton closed the gap eventually making it a one-run game. The comeback attempt started by scoring three runs in the six inning.
Flag City answered with a run in the eighth when Smith double scoring Lafferty making it a 7-4 game.
The Joes scored twice in the eighth starting with an RBI-groundout by Diego DeCello (Marietta College) driving home Christopher Roa (Miami University) from third base. Travis Yankovich (Lake Erie College) eventually scored from third on a passed ball but the rally stalled with Hamilton still trialing 7-6.
Cooper Ashby (Redlands CC) came in for the Sluggers to close it out in the ninth. The Joes put a pair of base runners aboard with two outs. Ashby forced a groundout to shortstop ending the threat giving Flag City the win.
The Sluggers head to Grady’s Field taking on the first place Xenia Scouts for the start of a three-game series.
