Graders earn split in final weekend of the season

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Grand Lake Mariners 16, Galion Graders 6

GALION — After beginning their final regular season series against the Grand Lake Mariners on the road on Sunday, the Galion Graders returned home to Heddleson Field in Heise Park to host those same Mariners in their home finale on Monday, July 22.

It would prove to be a bitter end to the summer wooden bat action in Galion as Grand Lake struck early and often en route to a 10-run victory; 16-6. With the win, the Mariners improved their season record to 19-21 while the Graders fell to 11-28 with the defeat. These same two teams put a ribbon on their 2019 Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League seasons on Tuesday on Grand Lake’s home turf at Montgomery Field in Celina.

The Mariners took a 1-0 lead after the first frame and stretched that lead to 4-0 after two innings. In the top of the third, Grand Lake tacked on an additional two runs to make it 6-0. Things seemed to get worse for the home squad as their guests rallied for a huge, seven-run top of the fourth to put the contest at 13-0. In the bottom of the fourth, Austin Harper would finally get the home squad on the board, ripping a solo home run, just Galion’s third hit of the game to that point.

The Graders would see the Mariners score three more times, plating two in the fifth and one in the sixth, putting the contest at 16-1. Galion was finally able to keep the visitors off of the scoreboard in the seventh, sending themselves to the dish down by a lofty, 15-run deficit. In that bottom of the seventh, the home team would see five runs come across the plate despite just two recorded hits in the inning. However, neither team would strike again in either the eighth or ninth frame, taking the game to its’ eventual final score of 16-6 in favor of the visiting Mariners.

Jarrett Miller got the nod as the starter and also took the loss on the night, working the first 3⅓ innings, giving up just three hits but nine runs (seven earned) while walking eight and striking out five.

For the game, Galion managed their six runs on nine hits, stranding nine runners on base in the process. Grand Lake racked up their 16 runs on 11 hits while leaving a dozen runners aboard. The Mariners finished with one error in the field while the home squad committed three miscues.

Additional pitching statistics for the Graders on Monday were: Gavin Lewis- ⅓IP, 2H, 4ER, 5BB, K; Parker Brown- 2⅓IP, 5H, 3ER, 3K; Harper- 2IP, H, K and Sean McLaughlin- IP, K.

Offensive numbers for Galion in the loss were: Team- 9/36, 6R, 3RBI, 4BB, 2K, 2B, HR, SB; Bryce Ray- 2-1B, 2B, R, RBI; McLaughlin- R; Chase Jessee- 1B; DeVonte Washington- 2-1B, R; Harper- 1B, HR, R, 2RBI; Garrett Kuns- 1B, R and Ryan Strittmather- R, SB.

Galion 9, Grand Lake 3

CELINA — Back on Sunday, July 21, the Galion Graders kicked-off their series with the Grand Lake Mariners to the tune of a 9-3 victory.

It took the visiting Graders very little time to find the scoreboard as they exploded for six runs in the top of the first inning thanks to three singles, a double, a hit batter and a trio of walks. Galion would tack on another run in the top of the second to put themselves in control at 7-0. Grand Lake would tally a pair of runs in the bottom of that frame to cut into the lead but, following a scoreless third, the Graders added a pair of runs in the fourth to regain the seven-run advantage at 9-2.

The visiting Graders would go quietly after that, recording just a pair of singles for the remainder of the contest but would hold on for the victory as the Mariners posted just one run in the bottom of the ninth. Galion scored their nine runs on 11 hits, left nine on base and had one error on defense. Grand Lake plated three on nine hits, left 14 runners on the base path and finished the contest with a pair of errors.

Louis Lipthratt earned the win as the starter for Galion, working the first five innings and allowing eight hits and two earned runs while walking three and recording one strikeout. Christopher Punka tossed the next three innings, allowing just one hit while walking a pair and fanning five. Brown closed out the contest, working one inning while allowing an earned run and three walks while picking up a strikeout.

Four Graders finished the day with multiple hits and provided much of the offensive output for the visitors.

Avery Fisher ripped a single and a double and drove in two runs while Washington netted a pair of doubles, scored three times and drove in two. JP Bitzenhofer knocked a pair of singles and scored a run while McLaughlin also tallied two singles that led to three runs batted in and a run scored.

Additional offensive stats were: Team- 11/38, 9R, 8RBI, 6BB, 5K, 3-2B, 3B, SB; Andrew Sharp- R; Ray- 1B, R; Harper- 2R; Joseph Watts- 2B, RBI and Strittmather- 1B, SB.

St. Clair Green Giants 2, Galion Graders 1

GALION — Galion concluded their final full home series on Saturday against the visiting St. Clair Green Giants.

Following Friday’s huge win, the Graders’ offense appeared to grow cold as they fell in the finale by a final score of 2-1. In Saturday’s contest, the home team managed just two hits; a solo home run by Ray in the seventh and a single by Harper in the bottom of the fifth. St. Clair finished the game with 10 hits and left nine on the bases while Galion left four runners aboard. Neither team committed an error defensively.

Kuns took the loss, working the first 7⅓ innings while scattering nine hits, allowing two earned runs and a walk while posting nine strikeouts. Miller finished off the game for Galion, allowing a hit and striking out a pair in 1⅔ innings on the mound at Heddleson.

The Green Giants scored first in the contest, scoring a run in the top of the fourth thanks to a triple and a double. The visitors proceeded to tack on their final run in the fifth via a double and a single.

Galion 14, St. Clair 2

GALION — On Friday, the Galion offense came alive as they racked up 15 total hits en route to a 14-2 drubbing over the visiting Green Giants.

St. Clair managed to score a run in the top of the first but would only post one additional run in the fifth after falling behind by a score of 5-1. Galion rallied for three runs in that fifth to stretch their lead to 8-2 before scoring six more runs over the course of the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.

In total, the Green Giants racked up 13 hits but were only able to plate the two while stranding a dozen. Galion tallied their 14 runs despite leaving 10 runners on the base path. St. Clair committed three errors in the field to the Graders’ one.

As a team, Galion collected nine RBI, walked five times, struck out four times, knocked three doubles and stole two bases.

Offensive output on Friday came from: Fisher- 1B, R, SB; Sharp- 1B, 2B, 3R, RBI; McLaughlin- 1B, R, RBI; Washington- 3-1B, 2R, 3RBI; Ray- 1B, RBI; Bitzenhofer- 1B, R, RBI; Harper- 2-1B, 2B, 3R, 2RBI; Watts- 2B, R and Strittmather- 2-1B, 2R, SB.

Submitted photo The 2019 Galion Graders played their final home game of the season on Monday evening against the visiting Grand Lake Mariners. Unfortunately, Galion would find themselves on the wrong end of a 16-6 score to fall to 11-28 overall in their final contest at Heddleson Field for the summer.
https://www.galioninquirer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2019/07/web1_final-home-game-2019.jpgSubmitted photo The 2019 Galion Graders played their final home game of the season on Monday evening against the visiting Grand Lake Mariners. Unfortunately, Galion would find themselves on the wrong end of a 16-6 score to fall to 11-28 overall in their final contest at Heddleson Field for the summer.

By Chad Clinger

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Follow Chad on Twitter @GalionSportsGuy

Reach Chad at 419-468-1117 x2048

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