Cincinnati Steam

Steam Outlast Settlers

Newark, OH – The Cincinnati Steam raised their league leading record to 11-4 by defeating the Licking County Settlers on Tuesday night 4-3. Although the Steam seemed to hold the upperhand the majority of the game, the Settlers made it interesting in the bottom of the ninth.

Cincinnati took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 4^th inning on a rbi basehit by Tommy Nurre scoring Ryan Bellamy from third. Bellamy reached on an error to start the 4^th. Bellamy advanced to third on a ball just smoked on a line off the right field wall. Hurley was retired at 2^nd on a relay from right to short. Bellamy scored on the basehit by Nurre.

The Steam extended the lead to 2-0 in the top of the 7^th inning, capitalizing on two, two out Settler errors. Ryan Strausborger reached on an overthrow, stole second and scored on a ball hit by Jake Brown that was misplayed by the Licking County first baseman.

The Settlers reduced the deficit by 1 in the bottom of the 7^th inning by scoring Jared Hoying from third on a basehit by Jeremy Hazelbaker. Hoying lead off the inning with a double to left center, moved to third on a ground out and scored on a two out base hit by Hazelbaker.

Cincinnati put the lead back at 2 plating one in the top of the 8^th inning after lead off hitter Zach Hurley was hit by the first pitch, stole second, moved to third on a ground out and scored on a base hit by Brad Gschwind.

The Steam extended the lead to 4-1 in the top of the 9^th inning. Ryan Strausborger lead off with a triple and scored on a one out ground out by Jon Edgington.

After a trio of pitchers had gotten the Steam thru eight, Collin Taylor, Ryan Kruzska and Eric Braeckel, Michael Korfhagen was on in the 9^th to pick up his first save of the season. That save was earned and how on this evening. Korfhagen allowed the first two Settlers to reach on base hits. With first and second and no one out, Korfhagen got the next two Settlers to strike out. The Settlers reached the top of their order and Hazelbaker singled to right which loaded the bases. Bottom of the ninth, two out, bases loaded and Korfhagen uncorks a wildpitch allowing the Settlers to shrink the lead to 4-2 and advance the tying run to second. The next batter up singles to right field scoring the runner from third to make it 4-3 but the tying run was gunned down at the plate on a one hop throw from Zach Hurley to Billy O’Conner at the plate, O’Conner hanging on to the ball as Hazelbaker tried a jump slide through O’Conner’s forearm and wrist, ending the ball game and making the Steam victorious.

Next up for the Steam is a doubleheader against the Grand Lake Mariners at Western Hills High School starting at 4:35pm.

Teams 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E

Steam 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 4 8 0

Settlers 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 3 10 4

WP – Taylor(1-0) LP – Swenson(1-2) Sv – Korfhagen(1)

Steam Hitting Leaders: Hurley (3-3) double run scored, Strausborger triple two runs scored, Nurre rbi, Gschwind rbi, Edgington rbi

Settler Hitting Leaders: Hoying (4-4) double triple two runs scored, Hazelbaker 3-5 rbi

Records: Cincinnati Steam (11-4) Licking County Settlers (4-9)