Locos rally for split with Licking County

 LIMA - Pitching has been a constant for the Lima Locos.

Hitting, on the other hand, has been up and down.

Even though the Lima Locos stand 8-3 on the year, they entered Saturday's doubleheader with visiting Licking County with the second-worst team batting average in the Great Lakes League at .213.

In the first game of the twin bill, the Locos recorded just five hits, en route to a 6-0 loss to the Settlers.

The Locos rallied for six hits and a 5-2 victory in the second game.

Licking County (6-4) collected 10 hits off Lima pitching in the opener. The Settlers came into Lima with the second-best team batting average in the league (.263).

In the first game, the big inning for Licking County came in the fourth when they scored four runs on five hits, forcing Lima starting pitcher Chris Rearick (Berry College) out of the game.

Rearick worked 3 2/3 innings, giving up four runs (one earned) on five hits, while striking out three and walking one. He also hit one batter.

Brad Long (Kennesaw State University) came in to work 2 1/3 innings for Lima, before being lifted for Patrick Mulligan (Lake Erie College) in the seventh.

Lima coach Rob Livchak said the problem in the first game was his team's inability of moving runners around the bases. In the first game, Lima left seven runners stranded.

"We got them to second base, but just couldn't get them to third or to home," Livchak said. "We missed a lot of opportunities. Last night against Grand Lake (6-1 win), we took advantage of our opportunities."

With the game scoreless after three innings, Licking County plated four in the top of the fourth.

The Settlers started the fourth with three consecutive singles. Then, an error by Lima first baseman Matt Baca (University of Alabama) on a throw to home, allowed the first run for the visitors.

After the error by Baca, Patrick Braswell followed with a line drive single to left, scoring two more runs. Two batters later, Steve Davis had a single RBI to close out the scoring in the fourth.

Livchak said Rearick was pitching pretty well up to the fourth inning.

"They scored four runs on about four bloop singles," Livchak said. "If we would have had a couple groundballs there, we could have been out of it. ... But that's baseball."

Licking County coach Kyle Sobecki said his team came through with timely hits in the first game.

"I always tell them that it's not how many hits you get, but when you get them that counts," he said.

Anthony Toth (University of Michigan) led the Locos at the plate in the first game, going 2-for-3. Baca was 1-for-3 with a double.

Locos' schedule update: The Locos will play a 4 p.m. makeup doubleheader against Lake Erie Monday at Adrian College.

Locos win Game 2

In the second game of the night, Locos outfielder Tom Carroll (Mercer) hit his second home run in two nights to power the Locos. Carroll went 2 for 4 with two RBIs on the night.

Kent Myer (Alabama) provided a triple for the Locos.

Jeff Shields (Chattahoochee Valley) picked up the victory. He went six innings and gave up two runs, both earned, on two hits. He struck out eight and walked one.

Bobby Brosnahan (Michigan) followed with two shutout innings of relief.

Nick Sarianides (Chattahoochee Valley) threw a shutout ninth inning for his fifth save of the year.