LORAIN — The weather that seemed to plague the spring high school sports season reared it’s head on Tuesday June 13, causing the contest between the Galion Graders and the Lorain County Ironmen at Heddleson Field at Heise Park to be postponed.
That game would be made up on Wednesday June 14 as part of a seven-inning double header on the road at The Pipeyard in Lorain. Both of those games would end in victories for the Graders, improving their 2017 season record to 4-1.
Game one on the evening ended with Galion on top by a tally of 10-8.
Hyatt Shanefield picked up the win on the mound for Galion, hurling five innings of work, scattering four hits, allowing four runs (three earned) while walking three and striking out one. Jordan Peck threw 0.2 innings of relief, allowing just one hit but allowed four runs to score (one earned) while walking three. Brock Balderson came on for 1.1 innings to pick up the save for the Graders, allowing four hits and fanning three. Tyler Gault took the loss for the Ironmen.
Galion plated their 10 runs on 11 hits, committed three errors and left six runners on the base path. Lorain plated eight runs on nine hits, committed two errors and stranded eight.
At the plate, the Graders went 11/31 at the plate as a team, recorded seven runs batted in, walked six times and struck out twice. Braxton Giavedoni and Jarett Smetana lead the offensive attack with three hits apiece. Giavedoni belted two doubles, a single, scored once and drove in two runs. Smetana finished with a double, a pair of singles, scored twice and drove in a runner. Austin Hathaway also recorded a pair of singles en route to scoring twice and driving in a run. Joe Crank finished the contest with a double, two runs and an RBI. Grant Fuller reached on a single, scored once, drove in a run and stole the Graders’ only base. Rounding out the offense were Josh Kent with a single and a run and Matthew Noel with a run scored and an RBI.
In the second game of the double-dip, the Graders edged the Ironmen by a final of 5-4.
Galion took a 5-3 lead into the bottom of the sixth but were able to hold Lorain to just one run en route to the win.
Justin Longbrake started the contest for Galion and went 4.1 innings to earn the win. Longbrake allowed eight hits and three earned runs while striking out two. Clay Davies earned the save for the Graders with 2.2 innings on the mound, scattering three hits, recording an earned run and walked a batter. Trevor Ray suffered the loss for the Ironmen.
The Graders scored their five runs on eight hits, committed no errors in the field and left four runners on base. Hathaway had another big game at the plate with a pair of singles and a triple and drove in four runs. Crank had a pair of singles and scored three times and Smetana recorded a single and a double. Giavedoni finished with a single and an RBI and Jacob Hoover scored a run and stole a base. As a team, Galion was 8/27 at the plate, had five RBI, walked three times and struck out four. Lorain scored their four runs on 11 hits, committed just one error and stranded eight on the base path.
Galion looks to stay on the winning path when they host the Licking County Settlers on Friday June 16. The weekend brings a trip to Richmond, Indiana and two games against the Jazz on Saturday and Sunday. The Graders will return home on Tuesday June 20 to take on the Lima Locos.
Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League
Standings as of noon on 06/15/2017
Northern Division
St. Clair Green Giants 7-2
Irish Hills Leprechauns 3-3
Grand River Loggers 3-3
Lake Erie Monarchs 2-4
Muskegon Clippers 2-5
Central Division
Lima Locos 4-1
GALION GRADERS 4-1
Grand Lake Mariners 3-1
Licking County Settlers 2-4
Lorain County Ironmen 1-5
Southern Division
Richmond Jazz 2-1
Southern Ohio Copperheads 3-2
Cincinnati Steam 2-2
Hamilton Joes 1-3
Xenia Scouts 1-3
