By Marc Tobias
mtobias@dailystandard.com A costly Grand Lake error in the seventh inning helped propel Columbus to an 8-2 win in Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League action at Jim Hoess Field on Wednesday night.
With two outs and the bases loaded, Mariners shortstop Jon Hatfield was unable to field a groundball cleanly allowing the All-Americans runner from third to score for a 3-2 Columubs lead.
Former Mariner and current All-American Jake Frank followed with a two-run single to put Columbus ahead 5-2.
Columbus added two more runs in the seventh with the help of another Grand Lake error, and the All-Americans finished their scoring with an RBI double by Matt Dugan in the top half of the ninth inning for the eventual six-run win.
"If we made that play (in the seventh) I think the game and the momentum would have been a little bit different," said Grand Lake coach Mike Stafford. "With us getting 10 or 11 hits like we had tonight, and playing in so many close games this year, I think our hitters definitely had the confidence to fight back and get us a couple of runs." Phil Bojc picked up the win for Columbus (12-6) by tossing the final three innings of the game in which he allowed no runs on just two hits.
Andy Delagarza was the hardluck loser for Grand Lake (10-11), as he pitched well during his 61/3 innings of work. Delagarza allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out three.
Offensively, Aaron Bulkley continues to shine for Grand Lake and easily had the best game for the Mariners against Columbus, as he finished with a 4-for-5 night which included two doubles and a stolen base.
Dusty Hammond also fared well by going 2-for-4, but with 10 runners left on base for the game, the Mariners squandered more than a few opportunities to put up some runs.
"We left a few guys on base, but then again, it all comes down to making pitches and being able to come in and throw strikes," Stafford said. "Once again, our relievers didn't really give us an opportunity to keep us in the game.
"Our relievers didn't allow us to do that and a big thing we've been talking about all year is coming in and throwing strikes and giving us an opportunity to win by not giving the other team anything and we did that again," Stafford added. "We gave them another game due to lack of control and being able to throw strikes."
Jason Bucholtz led Columbus by going 3-for-5 with three RBI. Bucholtz put the All-Americans' first run on the board with a solo home run in the third inning.
Frank's return to Jim Hoess field was a good one, as he along with Dugan and Ryan Schmidt all went 2-for-5 to help Columbus tally 13 hits.
Grand Lake now finds itself a game below the .500 mark and facing a five-game road trip.
"I told them after the game that we need to beat Indianapolis because they're right behind us in the standings and it would be a big victory for us to go in there and beat them and roll that game into the weekend against Youngstown and Athens, which are two teams that are below .500," Stafford said. "Right now our focus is that game tomorrow and going up on the road and beating Indianapolis and put this game behind us because there's nothing that we can do that looking back on it is going to help us or make us better." |
