Lima Locos’ Mason Sawyer fouls off a pitch against the Grand Lake Mariners during Wednesday’s game at Simmons Field.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
LIMA — The Grand Lake-Lima rivalry is the oldest and one of the most heated in the Great Lakes Collegiate Summer League and emotions were rekindled in the Mariners’ 6-5 win against the Locos in the first meeting between the two teams Wednesday night.
With the win, the Mariners even their record at 3-3, and the Locos slip to 4-3 on the year.
The game saw the Mariners jump out to a 6-0 lead, highlighted by a grand slam from Gunnar Collins in the fifth, only to see the Locos chip away at the lead, trailing by a run going into the final frame. Despite loading the bases, Lima failed to score to either knot the score or win it.
Throughout the game, words were exchanged between the teams.
Locos manager Chad Ehrnsberger said, “They (Mariners) like to run their mouths and I just told the guys that we need to come out early and have good approaches and you know the best way to shut teams up is to score a bunch of runs so hopefully they come out with that chip on their shoulder and execute that.
“I think our guys have been very calm and collected the whole summer and hopefully the end of this game and with them running their mouths hopefully that wakes our guys up and gets some emotion in our dugout because I think we need it and tomorrow would be a great time for it to show up.”
The Locos will play host to the Mariners at 7:05 p.m. Thursday.
Wapakoneta product and current Adrian pitcher Donny Goodes got the victory for the Mariners but had to battle to secure the win as he went five innings in relief, giving up four earned runs on four hits while walking six and striking out seven.
Goodes, who threw more than 100 pitches, battled his way out of the bases loaded jam in the eighth by giving up one run and striking out the side and then found himself in the same situation in the ninth with the bases juiced but struck out the final batter to notch the win.
“A win is a win,” said Goode, who pitched for the Locos in 2019 and understands the rivalry. “It is personal. The Lima Locos and Mariners have a good rivalry and I am a former Loco and I won a championship with them so it is always good to set your own pace and set your own legacy.”
Goode, who said he wants to bring a championship to Grand Lake, admitted that it was not his best outing but he was effective enough to get the job done.
“He wanted to stay out and do the job and I told him that is where heroes are made so get the job done,” Grand Lake manager Neil Schaffner said. “He was telling me with his body language and how he was saying it and he felt good. There was no issue of arm strength or getting tired but we will give him a lot of rest now.
“He is a conditioned athlete and works his butt off when he is not pitching, and he does a good job of rehabbing and does what he needs to do to prepare to pitch.
Grand Lake head coach Neil Schaffner also pointed to his team’s defense that came up with some key double plays to quell a couple of Locos rallies.
“They didn’t give up and they stayed gritty and didn’t give up there.”
Stranding base runners has been an issue for the Locos this year and against the Mariners they left 13 runners on base. In the second stanza, the Locos had the bases loaded with one out and failed to score and has runners on first and second in the following frame with one out and failed to score.
The Locos broke through in the sixth with four runs, highlighted by a single that brought in two from No. 9 hitter Anthony Zarlingo. Jack Porter and Mason Sawyer also drove in runs for the Locos.
Ehrnsberger said the team failed to come up with the big hit and held back concerning the strike zone.
“We didn’t get the big hit, and I can’t say what I want to say but there were definitely at-bats where I don’t fault our hitters and that is the best way I can say it,” the Locos skipper said. “I thought they had good at-bats and they won the at-bats and someone else told them they didn’t.
“It is hard to fault our guys in those cases but at the same time you have to fight through it and try to get that big hit.”
Game summary
Mariners`010`140`000` —`6`7`2
Locos`000`004`010` —`5`7`2
WP — Donny Goodes; LP — Hudson Parker
2B: H. Robbins (M), J. Hutchins (M), J. Rumfield (L).
HR: G. Collins (M).
Reach Jose Nogueras at 567-242-0414.
