Cincinnati Steam

Four-Run Sixth Lifts Grand Lake

Grand Lake rallied from a 3-0 deficit with four runs in the sixth inning to defeat the Cincinnati Steam 4-3 Tuesday night at Western Hills High School. Cincinnati falls to 11-5 all-time against the Mariners, who have defeated the Steam twice in a row for the first time ever and stand alone in first place in the GLSCL at 7-1.

In the sixth, new pitcher Adam Clark (Lincoln Trail) hit leadoff batter Andrew Host (Iowa), who stole second base after Brian Lambert (Indiana) struck out. Jared Hoying (Toledo) followed with a high fly ball that went through the right field fence on a fly for a ground-rule double, scoring Host. After an infield single by Jeff Holm (Michigan State), Clark walked Michael Early (Indiana) and Gabe DeMarco (Illinois State) to force in a run and make the score 3-2. With the bases loaded and one out, Clark was lifted in favor of Mike Jefferson (Louisiana Tech). Jefferson struck out the first batter he faced but threw a wild pitch to the next batter, Dan Burant (Akron), to allow the tying run to score. Burant then singled over the head of Jefferson (just the second hit allowed by Jefferson in 19 at bats) to score Early and give the Mariners the 4-3 lead, which three relievers would make stand up.

The Mariners have now yielded just 11 runs in their first eight games, tying for the fewest runs allowed by any GLSCL team in an eight-game stretch since the beginning of the 2006 season (the Steam allowed 11 runs in eight games last season). The Mariners entered the game having shutout their opponents in three straight games, the only team to accomplish the feat in the last four seasons. Grand Lake’s team ERA now stands at 1.32.

Clark (0-2) suffered the loss for the Steam (4-4), allowing four earned runs in 0.1 innings with two walks and one strikeout. Jefferson worked 1.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts, but Cody Elliott (Ball State) stole the show out of the bullpen, recording six strikeouts in just 2.0 innings of work (despite not pitching at all for Ball State in the spring).

Michael Hauschild (Dayton) overcame a wild start to earn the victory, tossing 5.0 innings and allowing three earned runs on five hits. Hauschild (1-0) walked four (all in the first two innings) and struck out four, throwing 85 pitches (48 strikes). He retired 12 of the 13 batters he faced after the second inning. Ryan Richter (Notre Dame) and Andy Lowe (Heidelberg) combined to toss 3.0 scoreless innings of relief before Jamie Feldheiser (Butler) closed the door in the ninth for his second save.

Matt Weber (Findlay) tossed 5.0 shutout innings in the start, allowing just three baserunners to lower his season ERA from 8.10 to 3.24. Weber struck out one and did not walk a batter, needing just 50 pitches (30 strikes). He retired the first seven batters of the game and twice retired the first two batters of an inning on just two pitches (second and fourth innings).

Ryan Strausborger (Indiana State) continued his hot hitting for the Steam, going 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, a stolen base, and two runs scored. Strausborger is now batting .529 (9-17) over his last five games with six runs scored. Kyle Bluestein (Jacksonville State) had the only other multi-hit game for the Steam, going 2-for-3 with two runs batted in.

Tyler Rogers (Indiana) led the Mariners with two hits (including a double), while Hoying, DeMarco, and Burant all drove in a run.

Cincinnati wasted no time putting a run on the board in the first inning, ending Grand Lake’s streaks of three consecutive shutouts and 27 consecutive innings without yielding a run. Strausborger knocked the first pitch he saw into right field for a leadoff single. He stole second, advanced to third when Grand Lake catcher Burant’s throw sailed into center field, and scored on a groundout by the next batter, Jon Edgington (Miami). Hauschild proceeded to walk Ben Thomas (Xavier) and Bluestein to put runners on first and second with one out. Brad Gschwind (Miami) followed with a long shot off the right field wall, but the runners had to hold up, loading the bases. Hauschild escaped damage, though, by striking out Drew Schmidt (Xavier) and inducing Bobby Freking (Xavier) to ground out to keep the score 1-0.

Hauschild continued to struggle with control in the second, walking Trace Voshell (Ohio) and Strausborger with one out. Edgington followed with a single to load the bases. Hauschild nearly worked out of the jam again, but Bluestein came through with a clutch two-out single up the middle to plate Voshell and Strausborger and make the score 3-0 in favor of the Steam. Hauschild threw more balls (28) than strikes (27) in the first two innings.

Rogers became the first Mariner baserunner of the game when he singled with one out in the third. Host followed with a drive off the wall in right, but Freking threw a laser to nab Host at second base for the second out. Lambert grounded to Tim Issler (Ball State) at third on the next pitch to keep the shutout intact.

Hauschild settled down after the second inning, throwing just 30 pitches and allowing one baserunner in the third through the fifth innings.

The Steam missed a golden opportunity to tie the game in the seventh inning. Strausborger started the inning with a double off of Richter, the first hit allowed by the freshman on the season (16 at bats). Edgington followed with a sacrifice bunt that he nearly beat out for a base hit. But Richter showed why he was named a Freshman All-American, striking out Thomas and inducing fellow Freshman All-American Bluestein to ground out to end the threat. The Steam had a baserunner in the eighth and ninth innings as well, but could not push across the tying run.

The Steam return to action Wednesday night when they make their first trip to Foundation Field to face the Hamilton Joes at 7:05 p.m. Cincinnati next plays at home on Sunday, June 28 when they take on the Stark County Terriers in a 2:05 doubleheader.