Mariners Big Sixth Inning too much for Joes, 10-5

The Hamilton Joes traveled to Montgomery Field for the last game of the year against the Grand Lake Mariners. The series is tied 1-1, and the game could potentially give the winner some momentum going into Monday for the first round of the playoffs.

Joes bats started hot in the first inning with Peter Heintz ripping a double to score Brady Bowen to strike first. The Mariners would respond quickly in the bottom of the second with an RBI base hit from Landon Tiesing to even up the score at 1-1.  AJ Gundler would hit a single to start the third inning. He would swipe second and third and come home to score on a passed ball to regain the lead, 2-1. 

In the top of the fourth, Preston Zumwalt would draw a two-out walk, and he would come around to score from a double by Nate Colyer. Colyer would steal third and score from a balk by Mariners pitcher Solomon Harwood. 

Things would go downhill quickly for the Joes in the bottom of the sixth. The first seven batters for the Mariners would walk to score four runs with three full-count walks. Two passed balls would score two more, and two RBI singles would score two more. Joes would eventually get out of the inning, but it would be at the cost of nine runs from eight walks and two hits; the Mariners would lead 10-4.

The sixth inning would be too much for the Joes to overcome. They would score another run late to get us to the final of 10-5. Joes end their season 21-19 with a spot in the playoffs starting Monday night. They will be playing the Mariners again in a best-of-three series to see who will represent the South Division in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League.