A balanced pitching, offensive and defensive contest allowed the Steam to shutout the Grand Lake Mariners 8-0 on Friday evening in Celina, Ohio. 

Starter Matt Winterhalter extended his record to 3-0 on the season going six innings, striking out seven and allowing only two hits in facing just one hitter above the minimum. Reece Asbury came on in relief throwing two innings and striking out four and David Hartman finished the game by throwing the ninth. 

Offensively the Steam scored in the 3^rd, 4^th, 6^th and 8^th innings. In the 3^rd, the Steam capitalized on a fielding error and a catcher’s interference to plate a run off a sacrifice fly by Jason Cisper. In the 4^th inning Tony Kennedy had a one out single, stole 2^nd, advanced to 3^rd on a groundout by Nate McKeon and scored on a passed ball. In the 6^th Jake Oester lead the inning off with a base hit and after a walk by Brandon Besl, Tony Kennedy reached on a bunt base hit to load the bases. Ryan Strausborger singled in Oester with a bloop base hit to leftfield. Steve Brown finished the scoring for the Steam in the 6^th with a bases loaded walk scoring Besl to give the Steam a 4-0 lead. In the 8^th Strausborger lead off with a double, Tyler Schunk walked, the two stole 2^nd and 3^rd respectively, then Steve Brown drove both in with a double. Nate Fields walked. Jason Cisper’s ground out advanced runners to 2^nd and 3^rd. And Jake Oester finished the scoring for Cincinnati on the evening with a two run single. 

The victory extends the Steam’s record to 10-6 on the season, tied for 3^rd place with Columbus, two and a half games out of first behind the Delaware Cows. The Steam return to action on Saturday night against Xenia Athletes In Action at 7:05pm at Western Hills High School.


Grand Lake second baseman Michael Stalter, left, places the tag on Cincinnati's Steve Brown, 14, during their Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League contest on Friday evening at Jim Hoess Field. Cincinnati ripped Grand Lake, 8-0