Mariners hold on to beat Joes

CELINA - Grand Lake rebounded from an extra-inning loss on Tuesday night with an 8-6 win over Hamilton to split the two-game series between the teams on Wednesday at Montgomery Field.

The Mariners (4-1) had to rally twice against the Joes in the game and the two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth proved to become very necessary as the Joes scored two runs in the top of the ninth and had the go-ahead run on first base when the game ended.

The first rally came in the fifth after Hamilton scored a run in the top of the inning on R.J.'s RBI single that scored Chad Jacob. Alex Turner and Spencer Dull started the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back singles. Colton Bradley was called on to bunt the runners up for the first out. Aaron Bence followed with a single to center to score Turner. An error on the recovery of the ball allowed Dull to score and make it 3-2.

Todd Goldberg allowed seven hits and four walks over six innings, but left six Joe runners stranded during his time on the mound.

"That's one of the best outings he's had in the two years he's been here," Mariners skipper Sam Slavik said. "He was focused. You could tell from the first pitches of the game. He had a breaking ball for a strike and a change-up going. I was glad to see that from him."

Austin Rodesky came on to pitch the seventh. Rodesky got the first out before an error allowed Thompson to reach second. After a flyout, Andy Young singled in Thompson to tie the game. Jake Simmerman followed with a double to break the tie.

Grand Lake bounced back in the bottom of the seventh. Dull was hit by a pitch from Ben Havel. Bradley followed with a single to bring up Bence, who bunted to move up the runners. The throw to first by Havel was wild, scoring Dull to tie the game. Pinch-hitter Hayden Rappoport lofted a deep enough fly to center to score Bradley. After Brad Boss was hit by a pitch, Josh Williams hit a fly to center to score Bence.

"That shows a mature offense when you give up some runs and are able to come back and score more than (the opponent)," Slavik said. "Our guys, after the long game yesterday (a 13-inning 5-4 loss to the Joes), took it one at-bat at a time. It was slow at the beginning, but they got better as the game wore on."

After Jack Fossand pitched a scoreless eighth, the Mariners added two big runs in the bottom of the inning. Matt Smith walked and Turner doubled. Smith beat a throw home on a Dull grounder to make it 7-4 and then Bradley hit into a double play to allow pinch-runner Tristan Mercadel to score the eighth run.

Alex Flores came on to close the door in the ninth, but walked Jackson Boyce and then hit Young before getting Simmerman to ground out, allowing Boyce to score. Hunter Owen singled in Young to make it 8-6. Flores struck out Luke Emling for the second out but walked Shannon Baker and Jacob to load the bases for Daniel Moorehead. Flores worked the count full before getting Moorehead to swing at strike three to end the game.

Turner went 3-for-4 with two runs scored for the Mariners. Bence was 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Grand Lake has home exhibition games tonight and Friday with Summit City, filling the dates left when Lexington left the league. The Mariners are back in GLSCL action over the weekend with a home-and-home series with league newcomer Galion. The Mariners travel to Galion on Saturday before returning home to face the Graders Sunday at 7 p.m.