Friday, July 3rd, 2009
Grand Lake holds on for win over Hamilton
By Ryan Hines
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard
Grand Lake third baseman Michael Earley drives a foul ball during the Mariners' Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League contest against Hamilton on Thursday at Jim Hoess Field. Earley had a double and triple in the Mariners' 8-6 win.
The Grand Lake Mariners got off to a strong start, but then had to sweat it out in the final inning against last-place Hamilton.
Grand Lake jumped in front 6-1 and later escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning for an 8-6 win over the Hamilton Joes on Thursday night in Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League action at Jim Hoess Field.
It looked as if Grand Lake (11-6) had Hamilton (4-11) buried early, but the Joes rallied back and had the go-ahead run on base in the ninth inning.
Grand Lake led 8-5 entering the ninth but Hamilton's Dustin Huff and Colton Cattani greeted Mariners closer Jamie Feldheiser with back-to-back singles. After the first out of the inning was recorded, Feldheiser walked B.J. Willis to load the bases.
Joes pinch-hitter Tyler Shunk grounded out for the second out of the inning, but drove in a run on the fielder's choice before Hamilton reloaded the bases when Tim Tepe was hit by a pitch.
Feldheiser then escaped any more damage by striking out Jimmy Brenneman for the hard-earned save.
Derek Grabner was credited with the win after pitching the first five innings. Chris Bassit worked three innings of relief, striking out seven, before Feldheiser pitched the ninth.
Offensively, Jared Hoying remains red hot for the Mariners. Hoying, now hitting .435 this summer, had four singles in five plate appearances and drove in three runs while scoring two more runs.
"Jared was one of our guys that started out a little slow, but the more that we got him in the lineup the more he has gotten comfortable at the plate," said Grand Lake first-year manager Brandon Tormoehlen. "He has really come on as of late and is doing a good job for us in the middle of the order."
Michael Earley and Brian Lambert also had productive offensive performances. Earley had a double and triple while Lambert scored three runs after singling, drawing a walk and getting hit by two pitches.
Earley, Hoying and Gabe DeMarco each drove home a run in the first inning for a 3-0 Grand Lake lead. Hamilton scored once in the top of the third, but the Mariners answered with three in the bottom half of the third. Hoying had a two-run single and a Hamilton wild pitch accounted for the three Mariners' runs in the third.
An RBI sacrifice fly by Zach Tanner and a Hamilton error led to a two-run sixth inning for Grand Lake which pushed the Mariners' lead to 8-3.
"I think that we did a good job of making adjustments at the plate tonight and we hit some hard balls in key situations to score some runs," said Tormoehlen.
Grand Lake is back in action tonight on the road against the rival Lima Locos, who have beaten the Mariners twice already this season in two matchups. The Mariners will be back at Lima on Saturday for an exhibition game against the Locos before their annual fireworks show.
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard
Grand Lake shortstop Zach Tanner throws the ball to first base for an out during the Mariners' Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League matchup against the Hamilton Joes on Thursday night at Jim Hoess Field. Grand Lake won the game, 8-6.
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard
Grand Lake starting pitcher Derek Grabner fires a pitch to the plate against the Hamilton Joes during Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League action on Thursday evening at Jim Hoess Field. Grabner picked up the win with five innings of work but had to watch closely in the ninth inning as Hamilton loaded the bases before the Mariners escaped with an 8-6 win.
