LIMA – Early in the year the Locos have proved one thing.
Up and down the lineup, this team has the capability of pounding the ball.
The Locos knocked out 18 hits in an 18-3 romp over Galion Wednesday night at Simmons Field.
Galion was probably happy to be done with the Locos for a while. In back-to-back nights, the Locos steamrolled the Graders, 13-4 and 18-3.
The Locos are 8-3 and stand in first place in the Central Division. Galion is 5-5.
“I think we’re getting comfortable in the box,’’ Locos coach Brian Garman said. “Galion has a pretty good team, but on the mound they were a little short-handed.
“But I think our guys stayed with their approaches and put some good barrels on baseball in situations with runners in scoring position. Overall, I’m pretty pleased with it. And if these guys are comfortable now, this is a great place to be.’’
The game was actually tied at 3 going into the home fourth inning.
That’s when Lima scored three to take a 6-3 lead. The Locos then scored seven runs, on six hits, in the fifth, to pull out to a 13-3 lead.
Lima tacked on five more in the seventh to pull out to an 18-3 lead.
Locos center fielder Ethan Hurt went 4 for 5 with three RBI.
“It’s exciting when you can add on like that,’’ Hurt said. “That’s what makes this game fun.’’
Garrett Hodges continued his hot hitting, going 2 for 3 with three walks and two RBI.
Will Kilgore went 2 for 4 with two walks and five RBI.
“It’s nice to have the fans behind us,” Kilgore said. “And our approach tonight was the same as last night. When we had two strikes, we battled and got a pitch we could hit.’’
Josh DeBacker was 2 for 4 with four RBI. Tyler Tolbert went 2 for 4 with two RBI.
Lima Central Catholic grad Colin Stolly went 2 for 2 with two RBI in the seventh inning alone. He finished the night 3 for 4 with a double and two RBI.
Tolbert had the go-ahead RBI with sacrifice fly in the fourth to give the Locos the lead to stay 4-3.
Hurt’s two-run single in the five made it 8-3. Hodges followed with a two-run double down the right-field line and it was 10-3. Then came Kilgore, who lined an RBI double to left and it was 11-3 in the fifth.
Tyler Jones (Dayton/Bellefontaine) started for the Locos and went four innings, giving up three runs, none earned, on five hits.
“Jones didn’t have his best stuff, but he found a way to compete,” Garman said.
Jake Posey (Montevallo) picked up the win in relief with three shutout innings of one-hit ball.
“When he’s in the zone, he’s going to be really effective,’’ Garman said of Posey. “The biggest thing for him is repeating his delivery and feeling good about it.’’
Robbie Knox closed it out with two shutout, one-hit innings. He had three strikeouts.
The last two games, the Locos have pounded out 31 runs on 29 hits.
“The approach is to keep it simple,’’ Hurt said. “We didn’t have guys up their swinging for the fences. We wanted to put the ball in play.’’
Locos notes: Locos outfielder Jared Nixon (Alabama-Birmingham) has left the team and gone home….Outfielder Ross Adolph (Toledo) had minor surgery on his knee, but could return in July….First baseman Jack Barrie (UNOH) will be eased back in the lineup after coming off knee surgery. He’s expected to play a little more in July….Left-hander Austin Gridley (UNOH) is sidelined with tendinitis in his left elbow….Right-hander Jack Schaller (Ohio Northern) has been out with tightness in his right shoulder….First baseman/pitcher Cole Gordon (Mississippi State) needed to have his left arm evaluated after the season and will not be coming to Lima. He was replaced on the roster by Wichita State first baseman Josh DeBacker.
Up next: The Locos are at Hamilton today and Friday. They return home at 7 p.m. Saturday to face Cincinnati.
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