The Lima Locos’ Brennen Norton fields a grounder during Friday night’s game against Jet Box at Simmons Field. See more Locos photos at LimaScores.com.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
LIMA — It probably wasn’t the way Lima Locos head coach Matt Furuto had mapped out Friday’s baseball game with the Jet Box Baseball Club (Michigan).
But Furuto will definitely take the win.
The Locos (7-3) overcame four errors, en route to a 7-5 victory against Jet Box in Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League baseball action at Simmons Field Friday night.
Ten base hits for the Locos helped pave the way for the win.
The Locos came in to Friday’s contest tied for first in the North Division with the Michigan Monarchs.
“It wasn’t a pretty win, but all wins are good,” Furuto said with a grin. “If we can clean up some stuff, and score a couple more runs – I think we’ll be good. If we just take care of us, we can get better.”
Jonathan Machamer got the starting nod on the pitching mound for the Locos Friday.
The University of Dayton-lefthander worked four innings. Machamer gave up four runs (three earned) on three hits, while striking out three and walking three. He threw a total of 71 pitches.
“We didn’t help him out. … He did a pretty good job,” Furuto said about Machamer’s performance. “We extended his innings (with errors). If we would have made those plays, then we might have been able to go longer with him. But he did a good job. We just have to make some plays behind him, and help him out a little bit more.”
Evan Magill (Indiana State) took over pitching duties in the fifth for the Locos. The right-handed Magill worked two innings, before being lifted. Magill gave up one run on one hit.
In the seventh, Dillon Masters (Murray State) came in to pitch for the Locos. However, Masters’ appearance was short-lived as he pitched just one inning. Grant Reising (Eastern Michigan) and Patrick Dillon (Toledo) each worked an inning to close it out for the Locos.
Brandon Biggerstaff started on the hill for Jet Box. Biggerstaff worked six innings, before Nik David (Macomb CC) came in to take over.
Biggerstaff gave up five runs on eight hits, while striking out one, walking two and hitting three batters.
However, David lasted just 1/3 of an inning, before he was pulled. Jack Anderson (Case Western) came in to relieve David.
In the home half of the first, the Locos scored one run on one hit, to claim the early 1-0 lead. Shortstop Ty Gill (Purdue) led off with a single to center. Gill was eventually driven in by Brayden White (Toledo), on a sacrifice fly to left.
The Locos scored three runs in the second, on three hits, to push the lead to 4-0. Cade Sadler (Kennesaw State) and Clay Jacobs (Edison State) each had singles for the Locos.
However, it began to unravel for the Locos in the top of the third. Jet Box scored four runs on two hits to knot the game at 4 apiece.
Jet Box took a 5-4 lead in the top of the sixth.
The Locos responded in the home half of the sixth by knotting the game up at 5 each. Right fielder Diego Gines had a sacrifice- RBI for the Locos.
The Locos took the lead for good, when it added one more run in the seventh to make it 6-5. Second baseman Jayden Davis (Samford) led off with a single. He would later come across to score after three consecutive walks. Davis went 2 for 5 at the plate Friday night.
For the game, the Locos left 15 base runners stranded.
“If we don’t give them more opportunities, then I think we win that game pretty easily,” Furuto said. “We just have to get better on both sides of the ball.”
The Locos return to action tonight when they take on Jet Box in the second game of the three-game series with first pitch at Simmons Field slated for 7:05 p.m. Sunday’s game against Jet Box is scheduled to start at 5:05 p.m.
