LIMA — Lake Erie scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning to defeat the Lima Locos 9-7 in a Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League game Sunday night at Simmons Field.
The Locos bounced back from a 2-0 deficit with three runs in the second and two more in the third. The Monarchs closed to 5-4 in the sixth followed by a Lima run in the bottom of the inning. Lake Erie also scored a run in the eighth and Lima plated one in the ninth.
Matt Smithwick (Santa Clara) had a double, a home run and an RBI, Jared Nixon (Alabama Birmingham) had two hits, including a double, and two RBI and Jacob Barnwell (Ohio State) had two hits and an RBI for the Locos. Ross Haffey (Miami of Ohio) homered twice and Blake Benefield (Middle Tennessee State) had a round-tripper for Lake Erie (10-16).
Lima (19-8) hold a 3 1/2 game advantage over Grand Lake at the top of the league’s North Division. The Locos play at 6:05 tonight at Simmons Field and will play 7:05 p.m. home games Tuesday and Wednesday against Xenia.
