Cincinnati Steam

Steam Advance to GLSCL Tournament Championship Game with 4-2 Victory Over All-Americans

(Xenia, OH) – Cincinnati came from behind to defeat the defending tournament champion Columbus All Americans 4-2 and knock them to the loser’s bracket. After Columbus took an early 2-0 lead by scoring single runs in the 2^nd and 3^rd, Cincinnati saw their two runs and raised them two in the 4^th and 5^th innings building a 4-2 lead and never looked back as Steam hurlers five hit the All Americans. Starter Joey O’Gara went seven innings, scattering five hits and giving up the two runs that Columbus scored, to earn the victory. David Middendorf came in for the 8^th and 9^th innings to retire the six batters he faced for the save.

Columbus took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the 2^nd inning with a one out home run from the bat of Zach Dygert off Steam starter Joey O’Gara. The All Americans extended their lead in the top of the 3^rd by capitalizing after a lead off walk to the ninth hitter Jeremy Wentworth. Wentworth advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cory Rupert. After a ground out held Wenworth at second, Chris Lewis singled to left scoring Wentworth and went to second on the throw to the plate. With two out Ryan Dew hit a single to center and with Lewis racing for the plate Nate Fields threw a frozen rope to the plate that catcher Billy O’Conner made a great block, catch and tag to end the inning.

Cincinnati evened the game in the bottom of the fourth by putting the ball in play and making Columbus throw the ball around the field. With one out Billy O’Conner ripped a single to left, advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jon Edgington walked to put runners on first and second with one out. Ryan Bellamy hit a ground ball to short that forced Edgington at second but the throw to first got by first baseman Robert Maddox that allowed O’Conner to score as the throw by Chris Lewis, who was backing up on the play, got by the pitcher that was covering home. On the overthrow of the plate, Bellamy advanced to second and scored on a base hit by Steve Brown.

The Steam took the lead 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth when Nate Fields led the inning off with a bunt single and advanced to second on a throwing error by the All Americans third baseman. Fields advanced to third on a bunt base hit by Ryan Strausborger. Fields scored and Strausborger advanced to second on Zach Hurley’s third hit on the day. With runners on first and second and no one out Tommy Nurre hit into a double play moving Strausborger up to third. Strausborger scored the fourth run of the day for the Steam off an rbi base hit by Brandon Besl.

Steam pitchers O’Gara and Middendorf faced only 20 batters the last six innings allowing one hit and a walk with several fielder’s choices the rest of the way shutting down the potent All American offense.

The Steam will play the winner of Lima and Columbus who are battling to come out of the loser’s bracket finals. The championship game will be played at 1pm at the Xenia Athletes In Action Sports Complex. If Lima or Columbus defeat the Steam at 1pm, the if game (Game 11) will be played 30 minutes after the first game is complete.

123 456 789 R H E

Columbus 011 000 000 2 5 3

Cincinnati 000 220 00x 4 9 0

WP – O’Gara LP – Vitek Sv – Middendorf

Hitting Leaders:

Steam – Hurley (3-3, rbi), Besl (rbi), O’Conner (run scored), Bellamy (1-3, run scored), S. Brown (1-2, rbi), Fields (1-3, run scored)

Columbus – Dygert (2-4, HR, rbi), Lewis (rbi)