CELINA — A seven-game losing skid ended Thursday night as the Galion Graders outslugged the Grand Lake Mariners 17-8 in Great Lakes League baseball action.
Galion (5-12) won for the first time since June 15 when they posted a 9-5 victory over Jet Box Baseball Club, the first place team in the Great Lakes League’s North Division.
Trailing 8-6 after five innings of play, the Graders scored three runs in the sixth inning to take the lead for good, then added four runs in the seventh, three more runs in the eighth, and one final run in the ninth to round out the scoring.
The two teams combined for 32 hits — 19 for Galion, 13 for Grand Lake. Galion’s Jay Luikart went 4-for-6 with two home runs, six RBI, and scored three runs. He also stole three bases.
Teammate Ben Sinins went 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, three RBI, and scored three times.
Avery Fisher was 4-for-6, scored three runs, and drove in two runs. Kaito Hara finished 3-for-5, drew two walks, and scored five runs. They each stole two bases.
Nick Christopher was 2-for-5 with two RBI and scored a run. Seth Schroeder went 2-for-5 and scored twice. Brian Erbe went 1-for-5 with an RBI.
Jacob Savina earned the win in relief for Galion. He pitched six innings, giving up two runs on seven hits. Savina recorded three strikeouts and one walk.
Grand Lake’s Garrett Felix went 3-for-4 and scored three runs. Sam Seeker went 3-for-6. Gabriel Torres finished 3-for-5 and scored a run. Donald Stone went 2-for-5 and scored a run.
Brad Calhoun was saddled with the loss after entering the game as a reliever. He pitched 2-2/3 innings and gave up four runs on five hits. He recorded two strikeouts and one walk.
Mariners pitchers recorded a total of nine strikeouts.
Ice Haulers 12, Graders 7
SANDUSKY — Sandusky overcame an early 3-1 deficit and went on to defeat Galion 12-7 on Wednesday night.
The Graders scored twice in the first inning and added a solo run in the top of the second. Sandusky pulled back a run in the home half of the first.
The Ice Haulers plated six runs in the fourth inning to take the lead for good. They added two more runs in the fifth and another one in the sixth. Galion scored twice in the top of the sixth. Sandusky added two runs in the eighth and the Graders rallied for two runs in the ninth, but couldn’t complete the comeback.
Galion’s Kaito Hara went 3-for-4 with a solo home run — his first of the season — and scored three runs. Christian Orr, Nick Christopher, Ben Sinins, Jay Luikart, and Brian Erbe each had a hit for the Graders.
Christopher, Sinins, and Seth Freeman each had an RBI. Orr, Sinins, Freeman, and CJ Colson each scored a run.
Wyatt Smith was the starting pitcher for Galion and took the loss. He pitched three innings and gave up seven runs on eight hits. Smith finished with two strikeouts and two walks.
Sandusky’s Jordan Andrade had three RBI. Cambell Conard and Bryce Richey each had two RBI. Scott Mackiewicz, Mark Connelly, Jackson Green, and Richey scored two runs apiece.
Mittchel Spencer picked up the win for Sandusky after pitching two innings in relief. He gave up two runs on one hit and recorded three strikeouts and one walk.
Clippers 12, Graders 10
MUSKEGON, Michigan — Despite scoring nine runs in the seventh inning, the Galion Graders still dropped a 12-10 decision to the Muskegon Clippers in Great Lakes League baseball action on Tuesday evening.
Muskegon rolled out to an 11-1 lead after six innings of play. The Clippers put two runs on the scoreboard in the first, fourth, and sixth innings, added four runs in the third inning, and a single run in the second before the Graders ignited their rally.
After Kaito Hara and Avery Fisher each drew a walk, Nick Christopher hit an RBI single that allowed Hara to score the Graders first run. Jay Luikart then followed with a three-run home run that cut the deficit to 11-4.
Galion’s Seth Schroeder rapped a two-out single that drove in Seth Freeman with the fifth run of the inning for the Graders. After Galion loaded the bases, Fisher drew another walk that allowed Ryan Santangelo to score and close the gap to 11-6. Nick Christopher came to bat for the second time in the inning and drilled a three-run double that scored Schroeder, Hara, and Fisher, leaving the score 11-10 in favor of Muskegon.
The Clippers manufactured a run in the bottom half of the seventh inning to round out the scoring.
Nick Christopher went 4-for-6 and finished with four total RBI for the Graders. Luikart had three RBI. Fisher, Schroeder, and Ben Sinins each drove in a run.
The Graders left 12 runners on base.
Troy Vermilion was the starting pitcher and took the loss for Galion. He worked three innings and gave up seven runs on eight hits. He struck out four batters and walked two.
Reliever Jarrett Miller recorded four strikeouts and two walks in two innings of work.
Muskegon’s Noah Marcoux went 4-for-5, drove in two runs, and scored two runs. Miko Rodriguez went 3-for-5 with three RBI and scored two runs. Crew Cohoes finished 2-for-4 and scored twice. Levi Jensen went 2-for-5 and scored a run.
Thomas Sylvester earned the win in relief for the Clippers. He pitched two scoreless and recorded one strikeout.
Ashton Wetzler was credited with a save after working 2-1/3 scoreless innings. He gave up three hits and recorded four strikeouts and one walk.
Upcoming schedule
Galion returns home on Friday to play host to Jet Box at 7:05 p.m. at Heise Park. The Graders play a doubleheader on Saturday at Lima.
Galion wraps up the weekend with a home game on Sunday against the Royal Oak Leprechauns. First pitch is set for 4:05 p.m. at Heise Park.
Admission to Graders home games costs $5 for adults and $3 for senior citizens.
