Cincinnati Steam

Steam Extend Win Streak to Five
Steam Drop Scouts 6-3

XENIA, Ohio— Matt Weber (Findlay) threw a great game giving up two runs but got a no decision as Mike Peterson (DePauw) collected the win (1-0) in the Steam’s 6-3 win over Xenia Tuesday night at the AIA Sports Complex. Michael Schum (Wright State) notched his fourth save and the loss went to Kyle Atkins (1-1) for the Scouts (6-9). Ryan Strausborger (Indiana State) went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and Jon Edgington (Miami) went 3-for-5 with a run, two RBI, and a stolen base for the Steam (9-4).

In the first, Strausborger led off the game with an infield single down the third base line. Edgington squared to bunt in a sacrifice attempt but beat out the throw and the Steam had two on to begin the game. With both runners moving on the pitch, Brad Gschwind (Miami) grounded out to third to move the runners over to second and third with one out. Kyle Bluestein (Jacksonville State) doubled into left-center field and Strausborger and Edgington scampered home to give the Steam a 2-0 lead. Bobby Freking (Xavier) continued the hot hitting for the Steam with a single of his own and an RBI as Bluestein scored from second. Freking stole his fourth base of the season to get into scoring position with two outs. An error on Andrew Douglas for the Scouts at third allowed Freking to move to third as Cody Elliott (Ball State) hustled down the line to first. Ryan Bellamy (Xavier) grounded out to shortstop on a fielder’s choice for the third out but not before the Steam scored three runs on four hits and an error.

Weber started off with a fly out to leftfield by Robby Kuzdale. Weber followed up the fly out with his first strikeout of the game as Brance Rivera got caught looking at strike three. Weber worked through the first inning with no trouble as Patrick Taylor grounded out to short for the third out of the inning.

T.J. Jones (Cincinnati) led off the second inning with a strikeout looking. Strausborger followed with a single up the middle but got picked off first on a borderline balk call that was not called. Edgington reached on the second error of the game by the third baseman for the Xenia Scouts. Gschwind hit a bloop single to right field that put runners at first and third with two outs. Bluestein flew out to left to end the inning as the Steam stranded two runners on two hits and an error.

Weber walked the first batter, Case Rigby, on four pitches to begin the bottom of the fourth and Bryan Lucas moved him to second on a sacrifice bunt. Harman Watkins grounded out to shortstop as Rigby moved to third but the Scouts stranded him there as Phil Shallenberger followed Watkins’ lead and grounded out to Gschwind at short to end the inning.

The third inning began with a groundout to third by Freking. Travis Shaw (Kent State) walked on four pitches and Elliott hit a ball to center for a single. Bellamy flew out to left for the second out and Jones grounded to third for a fielder’s choice as the Steam stranded two runners for the second straight inning on one hit.

Gschwind gets his work in as the third straight batter for the Scouts, Brendan Frazier, grounded out to him at short. The Scouts recorded their first hit of the game as Andrew Douglas reached first on a bloop single over the first basemen’s head. Weber was unfazed by the hit as Kuzdale grounded back to him to begin the inning-ending double play.

The fourth inning began with a fly out to leftfield by Strausborger and Edgington followed with his own fly out to centerfield. Gschwind stepped in and was immediately hit in the back but the Steam stranded another one as Bluestein flew out to deep center field for the third out.

Weber retired the leadoff hitter, Rivera, on a fly out to centerfield but Patrick Taylor hit a deep ball off the wall in center field for a double. The Scouts ended Weber’s streak of 8.1 scoreless innings with a double by Rigby to right-center field to score Taylor. Lucas got a hold of one to centerfield but Strausborger made an excellent catch in center field but a single by Watkins scored Rigby from second to shorten the lead to one run. Watkins stole second on a wild throw by Bellamy but it didn’t hurt the Steam as Shallenberger sent another groundout Gschwind’s way for the third out.

The fifth started quietly and stayed quiet as Freking sent a soft line drive to the shortstop, Shaw struck out on six pitches, and Elliott grounded out to shortstop to end the Steam’s half of the inning.

Weber fought back from a 3-0 count to get Frazier to ground out to Gschwind at short. The Scouts fell in love with Gschwind as Douglas was retired by the Steam shortstop and Weber worked back from a shaky start to get Kuzdale to fly out to deep right field to record the third out.

The Steam started the sixth with a groundout to shortstop by Bellamy and a fly out to left by Jones and ended it with a groundout to second by Ryan Strausborger.

Mike Jefferson (Louisiana Tech) took over in the sixth after Weber threw five strong innings giving up only two runs on four hits with one walk. Jefferson came in throwing smoke and struck out Rivera looking. Taylor hit a one-out single to left field but Jefferson came back to get Rigby to fly out to right. Taylor got caught too far off first base on a pickoff attempt by Jefferson but was able to get to second as the attempt was too slow but it didn’t slow down Jefferson as he struck out the next hitter, Lucas.

In the Steam’s half of the seventh, Edgington led off with a hustle infield single as he slid head first into the base. Gschwind stepped in and hit one back to the pitcher but Edgington was moving on the pitch and the Scouts could not get him at second as Gschwind reached first. Bluestein popped up a sacrifice bunt attempt for the first out. Freking grounded to short to start the double play but another questionable call by the field umpire at first base forced coach Joe Regruth to have a peaceful conversation with him.

Mike Peterson (DePauw) relieved Jefferson after he threw one inning with one hit and two strikeouts. Peterson got Watkins to fly out to center field but a mistake pitch to Shallenberger cost him in the way of a solo home run to tie the game at three. Peterson came back to get Frazier to line out to Gschwind and Douglas to fly out to center to end the inning.

Kyle Atkins relieved Benton in the top of the eighth but the Steam got to him early with a broken bat single by Shaw but Elliott flew out to right field. Bellamy followed with a walk on a 3-2 count. Mike Click relieved Atkins and walked Jones to load up the bases. A wild pitch by Click scored Shaw from third to give the Steam a 4-3 lead. With the infield in, Strausborger hit a ground ball that the shortstop scooped and threw home to tag out Bellamy. Another wild pitch by Click moved Jones and Strausborger into scoring position and Edgington hit a line drive up the middle to score both to widen the lead to three. Edgington stole second but a fly out to right by Gschwind ended the inning for the Steam but not before three runs came across on three hits and two walks.

Peterson came back in the eighth with a strikeout of Kuzdale, a groundout to third by Rivera, and a fly out to left by Taylor for a one-two-three inning.

In the top of the ninth Bluestein was retired on a bare hand play by the third baseman, Freking grounded out to the second basemen for the second out, and the third out was recorded by the left field on a hard line drive by Shaw.

Schum came in to close out the game, relieving Peterson who threw two innings giving up one run on one hit with one strikeout. Rigby led off the inning with a ground ball back to Schum. Lucas followed with a ground out to first and a ground ball to second by Watkins was bobbled and Watkins beat it out but it didn’t harm the Steam as the next batter, Shallenberger, grounded out to second to end the game.

The Steam look to extend their win streak to six on Thursday, July 2 in a doubleheader against the Lima Locos. First Pitch is 5:05 PM at Western Hills High School.