Great Lakes League: Graders, Mariners split twinbill

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CELINA — Galion and Grand Lake split a doubleheader on Thursday evening in Celina. The Mariners won the opener 1-0 and the Graders picked up an 8-7 win in the second game.

Grand Lake won game one with a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning. Marcus Ernst drew a walk to lead off the inning and then stole second base to move into scoring position. With a 2-2 count on, Brayden Morrow recorded the game-winning base hit for the Mariners.

Mariners starter Kevin Norton recorded 11 strikeouts and just one walk in six innings of work. He held the Graders to three hits.

Beau Nichols pitched the seventh inning for Grand Lake and earned the win. He held Galion without a hit and struck out three batters and walked one.

Galion’s Wyatt Smith pitched a complete game and was saddled with the loss despite a quality outing. He struck out five batters and walked one. He gave up four hits and the lone run of the game.

Kaito Hara, Jay Luikart, and Brian Erbe each recorded a hit for the Graders. Luikart had a two-out double in the fourth inning, but was left stranded.

The Galion bats warmed up in the second game. Hara, Erbe, and Nick Christopher each had three hits to pace the Graders offense. Hara scored two runs and drove in a run. Christopher scored twice and Erbe scored a run. Erbe had two doubles.

CJ Colson hit a a solo home run for Galion. Ben Sinins had one RBI. Seth Schroeder had a hit and scored a run.

Matt Christopher earned the win in a relief role for Galion. He held the Mariners scoreless in two innings of work, recording five strikeouts and one walk.

Colson pitched the seventh inning, holding the Mariners without a hit or a run to earn the save.

Donald Stone had three RBI and Brandon Parrott drove in two runs for Grand Lake.

Taj Porter took the loss for the Mariners. He pitched the final two innings and gave up an unearned run on one hit. He struck out five batters.

Sandusky 5, Galion 2

SANDUSKY — Solid pitching and timely hitting carried Sandusky to a 5-2 win over Galion in Great Lakes League baseball action on Wednesday night.

Ice Haulers pitchers Andino Vecchiola, Mittchel Spencer, and Owen Kovacs combined to record 15 strikeouts and limit the Graders to seven hits. Vecchiola was the starting pitcher and was credited with the win. He worked six innings and gave up one run on three hits. Vecchiola recorded nine strikeouts and just one walk.

Kovacs notched the save, pitching 2-1/3 scoreless innings. He gave up two hits and recorded five strikeouts with no walks.

Spencer worked 2/3 of an inning and gave up one run on two hits. He struck out one batter and walked none.

Sandusky’s Tucker McEnroe went 2-for-4 with a double, scored two runs, and drove in one run. Mark Connelly was 1-for-4 with a double, one RBI, and scored a run.

Bryce Richey and Cambell Conard each had a hit and an RBI. Nick Mueller had a hit and scored a run. Scott Mackiewicz walked twice and scored a run.

Galion’s Brian Erbe went 2-for-4 with a double. Jay Luikart went 1-for-4, scored a run, and had two stolen bases. Cameron Smith of Bucyrus went 1-for-3 and scored a run.

Seth Schroeder went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Avery Fisher of Bucyrus was 1-for-2 with a walk. J.R. Heavlin went 1-for-4 with a double.

Troy Vermilion of Ontario was the starting pitcher for the Graders and took the loss. He worked 6-1/3 innings and gave up five runs on six hits. Vermilion recorded four strikeouts and two walks.

Logan Fisher pitched the final 2-1/3 innings in relief of Vermilion. He held the Ice Haulers scoreless and only gave up one hit. Fisher struck out five batters and walked two.

Sandusky (18-6), the first-place squad in the Great Lakes League’s North Division, took a 3-0 lead after scoring a run in the third inning and adding two more in the fourth inning. Galion (6-15) cut the deficit to 3-2 after scoring single runs in the top of the sixth and seventh innings.

The Ice Haulers pulled away in the home half of the seventh, scoring twice to extend their advantage to 5-2.

Heavlin hit a two-out double for the Graders in the top of the ninth inning, but Galion couldn’t do anything with the base runner. The Graders left five runners on base.

Sandusky left seven men on base.

Weekend schedule

The Graders entertain Sandusky at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday with fireworks following the game. Galion wraps up the Independence Day weekend by facing the Michigan Monarchs at 7:05 p.m. on Sunday at Heise Park.

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