Cincinnati Steam

Steam Sweep Double-Header, Winning Streak at Seven
Steam win pitcher’s duel in first half of double-header

The Steam’s hot bats cooled down in the first game of a double-header against the Lake Erie Monarchs, but took the victory, 1-0, extending their winning streak to six games. Steam starter Matt Winterhalter (NKU/LaSalle) pitched a gem, going five innings, allowing only two hits and striking out five in a no decision. Lake Erie starter Kevin Leady looked great, too, pitching a complete game, allowing only five hits, but his one earned run turned out to be the costly one.

The Steam got their lone run in the bottom of the 6^th after Adam Eaton (Miami U.) started things with a ripped double to deep left-center. After a sacrifice bunt by Steve Brown (Xavier/LaSalle) with the Monarchs attempting to get Eaton at third, put runners on first and third, Ryan Strausborger (Indiana St.) grounded into a double play that scored Eaton, and that was all the Steam needed. David Middendorf, who came in for Winterhalter in the top of the sixth, got the win with two innings of scoreless ball, while Leady got his first loss of the season.

Lake Erie Monarchs 000 000 0 0 3 0

Cincinnati Steam 000 001 X 1 5 0

WP – Middendorf (2-0) LP – Leady (1-1)

Hitting Leaders:
Steam: Gschwind 2-2, Edgington 1-2, Eaton 1-3; 1 run, Nurre 1-3
Monarchs: Dager 2-3, Crooks 1-2

Steam sweep double-header, extend winning streak to seven games

The second game proved to be just as tight as the first, with both teams’ pitching keeping the low-scoring game in question until the final inning. Joey O’Gara (Indiana/Sycamore HS) got his first win of the season for the Steam, as they beat the Lake Erie Monarchs 3-2 in the second game of their double-header.

The third inning proved to be the deciding factor, as the Steam scored all three of their runs on Lake Erie pitcher A.J. Achter. A Nate Fields (Ball State/Anderson HS) single got it started and a Steve Brown (Xavier/LaSalle) double kept it rolling. Two RBI singles by Brad Gschwind (Miami/Lakota West) and Ryan Strausborger made the score 3-1 in favor of the Steam.

Mike Korfhagen (Wabash/LaSalle) helped O’Gara with two solid innings of work, but he pitched himself into a jam as the Monarchs loaded the bases and threatened to end the Steam’s six-game winning streak in the top of the 7^th. Steve Matre (Mount St. Joe/Purcell Marian) came in to get out of the jam and did so, getting a double play – which scored a run – then striking out the final batter to end the game. With the win the Steam extend their record to 7-2, riding a seven-game winning streak.

The Steam take the field again on Tuesday, June 24, at home against the Columbus All-Americans. Tuesday’s first pitch will be at 7:05.

Lake Erie Monarchs 010 000 1 2 6 0

Cincinnati Steam 003 000 X 3 5 2

WP – O’Gara (1-0) LP – Achter (0-2) Sv – Matre (2)

Hitting Leaders:

Steam: Fields 1-2; run, S. Brown 1-3; run, Gschwind 1-3; rbi, run, Strausborger 1-3, rbi, Besl 1-3; rbi

Monarchs: Flora 1-3, Spencer 1-3, Dager 1-3; run, Dittman 1-3; run, Satterlee 1-2; rbi,

Strauss 1-3

Records: Cincinnati Steam (7-2) Lake Erie Monarchs (2-5)