By Mark Ruschau
It was a long night Tuesday at Jim Hoess Field as the Lima Locos came to town and drummed the Grand Lake Mariners 8-0 in Great Lakes Collegiate League action.
The loss, their third in five games, drops the Mariners to 11-8. Lima improves to 10-12.
The night was made longer by the fact that the Mariners were not only shut out but stranded 12 runners and hit into three double plays.
"The pitchers put a good ball game together," said Lima Locos manager Rob Livchak. "It started with starter Greg Dombrowksi. We are trying to get our bullpen situated and they worked hard and got the job done.'
"We didn't get the job done with runners in scoring position," said Mariner manager Mike Stafford."We did not have any situational hitting at all and we left way too many runners in scoring position. We didn't get the big hit when we needed it, that was the way the game went." The Locos took advantage of some wildness on the part of Mariner starter Keegan Laycock to score the only runs they would need in the second inning. R.C. Dickerson walked with one out and stole second. After Jay Morrow was hit by a pitch, Sean Boley plated the game's first run with a single. John Koplichack drove in the second run with a sacrifice fly.
The Mariners had a scoring chance in the fifth. With one out, Josh Eauches singled with one out. After a force play for the second out, Bryant Witt singled but the inning ended with Wayne Bond hitting into a force play.
Lima added a run in the sixth to make the score 3-0 as Sean Boley was hit by a pitch, went to second on wild pitch and scored on a (Continued from page 1B)
single by Koplichack.
The Mariners had a major scoring chance in the sixth, Ben Gaal and Ben Humphrey singled to start the inning. After Josh Dietz struck out, Ryan Keena singled to load the bases. Scott Boley then hit a ground ball to short, Lima shortstop Ryan Perry made the throw to second for the second and Keena was called out for interference to complete the double play.
Mariner manager Mike Stafford was thrown out of the game after arguing the call.
"The umpire said that our runner popped up and that was his beef and I don't won't comment on the call," said Stafford. "You saw what happened. That's all I have to say about that."
Lima added a pair of run in the seventh to make the score 5-0. Mark Abro doubled to start the frame and scored on a Dickerson double. Boley then plated the fifth run with a single.
"The name of the game is getting runs in and we did that tonight," said Livchak. "In the games that we lost, we have had trouble getting the big hit, but tonight we got the big hit. We looked like we were relaxed at the plate and looked like we had fun playing the game."
Grand Lake had two more major scoring chances in the seventh and eighth. In the seventh, Eachues and Billak walked to start the inning off of Loco reliever Jeff Sinicki. Sinicki bowed his back and retired Witt,Bond and Gaal to end the inning.
In the eighth, Humphrey singled and Josh Dietz walked. Keena hit a into a double play and Scott Boley flew out to end the inning.
The Mariners are at home tonight for a 7:15 p.m. start against Delaware. Lima heads to Toledo to play Lake Erie. |
