Sluggers Split Doubleheader vs. Grand Lake
Flag City hosted their first-ever doubleheader Friday night in Findlay against the Grand Lake Mariners. Under Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League rules, both games were limited to 7 innings.
Game 1 saw Cameron Baker on the mound for the Sluggers. After retiring the first two batters quickly, Baker allowed a double to Right Fielder Jake Lopez. A single by 1st Baseman Sam Lapping followed, giving Grand Lake the early 1–0 lead.
Nathan Miller got the start for the Mariners, and both pitchers kept things quiet through the 2nd and 3rd innings. Grand Lake struck again in the 4th when 3rd Baseman Isaac Sobieszczyk led off with a single. After a walk to 2nd Baseman Jacob Loving and a groundout moved Sobieszczyk to third, Left Fielder Samuel Reczek hit an RBI single to extend the lead. Then, with Loving on third, a gutsy steal of home gave the Mariners a 3–0 advantage. Talmadge Davis came in for Baker and finished the inning.
Flag City responded with three unanswered runs. In the 5th, Shortstop Matt Gardner came home after a bases-loaded walk to get the Sluggers on the board. The offense continued in the 6th, starting with a walk to Right Fielder Chris Franks. Designated Hitter Ryan Ruch and pinch hitter Jaxon Brown followed with singles, scoring Franks. Gardner then grounded into a double play, but Ruch still crossed the plate to tie the game at 3–3.
With neither team scoring in the 7th, the game moved to extras. In the GLSCL, a coin toss is used in the second extra inning to decide which team will take offense in a sudden-death format. Flag City won the toss and chose to hit first, but came up empty, giving Grand Lake the walk-off win.
Game 2 featured a dominant complete game from Braxton Betancourt, who struck out eight and walked only two. Cason Bennett pitched six innings for the Mariners in a close contest. The only run Betancourt surrendered came in the 3rd, when 1st Baseman Chase Alwardt came around to score.
Defensively, the Sluggers were sharp—highlighted by several key plays from Shortstop Matt Gardner. Offensively, Left Fielder Tanner Powell led the way with two hits and two runs scored, helping Flag City take the lead. Betancourt remained strong through the 7th and closed out the game with a strikeout to seal the Sluggers’ victory and snap their brief losing streak.
Flag City will return to action for Game 6 of this homestand Saturday at the Marathon Diamonds as they continue their push to climb back into playoff contention.