Sluggers overcome 9-1 deficit, beat Joes 15-10

HAMILTON – Flag City overcame a horrible start with a dynamic finish in chalking up a 15-10 win over Hamilton on Tuesday in a Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League game at Hamilton's Foundation Field. Flag City's Harrison Engskov belted a solo home run – his fourth of the season – to give the Sluggers a quick 1-0 lead. Hamilton rattled off nine straight runs, though, with Mark Nowak's two-run single sparking a four-run rally in the first and walks and errors figuring directly in second- and third-inning rallies by the Joes. Flag City entered game leading the GLSCL in team defense (.965 fielding percentage). But six errors, along with five walks, helped Hamilton open a 9-1 lead after three innings. Flag City loaded the bases but failed to score in the fifth, then finally got its offense going in the sixth. The Sluggers scored six times – all with two outs – with Tanner Powell lining a two-run single and Caleb Smith, Chris Franks and Trey Gardner delivering an RBI single each. A sixth run scored on a passed ball as Flag City trimmed the deficit to 9-7. Hamilton went up 10-7 with a run in the sixth, but Flag City completed its stunning comeback with a four-run rally in the seventh. The Sluggers loaded the bases on two walks and Will Lafferty's base hit. Smith came through with an RBI single and two passed balls allowed the ninth and tenth runs to score. Matt Gardner's single then plated pinch runner Carter Mottice with the go-ahead run. Flag City added some insurance in the ninth on Brown's RBI double, a single by Lafferty, and Engskov's two-run triple. Cooper Ashby came on in the ninth. He allowed a hit but struck out two batters to get the save. Tuesday's game was pivotal in the race for the GLSCL playoffs. The Lima Locos (23-11) and Xenia Scouts (21-13) lead the GLSCL North and South Divisions respectively, and lead the pack as far as the playoffs. After that a four team battle is brewing between the Muskegon Clippers (17-17), Hamilton Joes (17-17), Flag City (17-16) and Michigan Monarchs (16-17). The top four teams, based on overall winning percentage, will qualify for the playoffs. The Sluggers will host the Joes today at Fifth Third Field, return to Hamilton on Thursday, then have the Xenia Scouts coming to town on Friday and Saturday. Flag City &emsp;&emsp;100 &emsp;&emsp;006 &emsp;&emsp;404—15 14&emsp;&emsp;7 Hamilton &emsp;&emsp;423 &emsp;&emsp;001 &emsp;&emsp;000—10 11&emsp;&emsp;0 WP— Murphy. LP—Kaiser. TOP HITERS: (FC) Engskov 3B, HR, 3 RBI; Lafferty 1B, 2 RBI; Powell 1B, 2 RBI; Franks 1B, RBI; Brown 2B, RBI; M. Gardner 3-1B, RBI; Smith 2-1B, 2B, 3 RBI; T. Gardner 1B, RBI. (Ham) Christ 2-1B, RBI; Calcano 2-1B; Correra 2-1B, 2 RBI; DeCello 2-1B, RBI. GLSCL all-stars Flag City outfielders Harrison Engskov (.362, 3 HR, 25 RBI) and Tanner Powell (.310, 19 RBI, 14 SB) and pitcher Braxton Betancourt (3-2, 3.61 ERA) have been chosen as starters for the GLSCL all-star game that will be held Tuesday at Prasco Park in Mason. Lima Locos coach Chad Ehrnsberger, a Kalida High School graduate, former all-American at Ohio State and an assistant coach at Ohio Northern, will coach the north team. Flag City infielders Caleb Smith (.278, 19 RBI) and Matt Gardner (.250, 13 SB), outfielders Chris Franks (.369, 14 SB) and Will Lafferty (.299, 15 RBI) and pitchers Leo McEnulty (3.93 ERA), Aidan Murphy (2.90 ERA) and Bryce Stenzel (5.96 ERA) have been named reserves on the all-star roster. Catchers Ryan Mills and Andrew Stechschulte, a Findlay High grad hitting .247 with seven doubles and 11 RBI, and pitcher Talmadge Davis were designated as "prospects" and will be allowed to take part in a showcase in front of major league scouts before the all-star contest. Mills already has a major league connection after being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 18th round of the draft that wrapped up on Monday. A 6-foot, 210-pound catcher/first baseman out of Dexter Mo., Mills graduated from Oran High School in June and was set to attend Southeast Missouri Sate this fall. (14-sub head) Legion baseball FINDLAY – Alec Schaublin and Zander Zeiter belted two-run home runs in helping Napoleon race to a 12-0 lead and the River Bandits rolled to a 13-6 win over Findlay in a matchup of Legion baseball teams played at Liberty-Benton. Bode Wagner (2 RBI) and Kellen Frankart had doubles for Findlay. Findlay (8-13-1) and Napoleon (19-11-1) will square off again today in the second game of the District 1 regional tournament being held at Memorial Park in Ottawa. Pemberville and Ottawa will meet in the first game. Today's losing teams will meet in a consolation final on Thursday, with the winning teams going head to head Friday at 5 p.m. The regional final is set for Saturday at noon. SCHEDULE Wednesday's Events GLSCL BASEBALL Hamilton Joes at Flag City, 7:05 p.m. LEGION BASEBALL DISTRICT TOURNAMENT Findlay vs. Napoleon at Ottawa Memorial Park. WAPAKONETA – The Findlay YMCA Frogs placed first in the girls division and second overall in the Western Ohio Aquatic League championships held in Wapakoneta. Findlay topped the girls standings with 1,243.5 points. The YMCA's boys team compiled 1,105.5 points for a combined total of 2,349, just 221 points behind Bluffton (2,570) in the eight-team field. Ada's Summer Swim Team was sixth (844). "This showed that hard work does pay off …." YMCA coach Jeff Wobser said after the Frogs placed first in 24 of the 82 events and improved from fifth place in the 2024 standings to second place this season. "It was a total team effort that made this happen." Tillie Abbott, Stephan Mahler and Ellie Zerr won three individual events each for Findlay's Frogs. Abbott, a two-event state qualifier for the Findlay High swim team in February, won the 50- (27.43) and 100-meter 1:00.05) freestyle events and the 50 butterfly (31.22) in the girls 13-14 age division. Mahler, competing in the boys 13-14 division, was first in the 50 (26.5) and 100 (58.36) freestyles and the 100 individual medley (1:08.10). Zerr won the girls 9-10 50 breaststroke (47.07), 100 IM (1:32.42) and 100 free (1:19.85). Abbott and Zerr added relay wins to their point totals, with Abbott teaming with Piper Borsay, Ava Blide and Emmalyn Cislo on the top 13-14 200 free relay (2:04.93) and Zerr swimming a leg on the first place 9-10 200 medley relay (3:12.07) with Isla Brunow, Millie Halm and Isabella Blide. Willow Borsay doubled up in the 9-10 girls competition, winning the 50 free (34.95) and 50 fly (44.03). Also winning individual events for the Frogs were Tori Lewis (11-12 girls, 50 back, 35.32), Elliot Sterrett (11-12 boys, 50 fly, 34.80), Joe Dusseau (13-14 boys, 50 fly, 30.71), Claire Kemmere (15-over girls, 100 free, 1:00.78), Jake Best (15-over boys, 100 free, 57.00) and Sam Dolan (15-over boys, 50 breast, 32.92). In the boys 8-under division, Jack Zerr, Bennett Brunow and Hayden Chen teamed with Liam Leonard to win the 100 medley relay (1:54.06) and with Max Brunow on the first place 100 free relay (1:34.33). In the girls 200 free relays, Findlay got first place finishes from Isla Brunow, Millie Halm, Willow Borsay and Isabella Blide in the 9-10 division (2:42.73) and from Mayley Okuly, Lucy Abbott, Stella Myers and Lewis in the 11-12 (2:23.92) competition. Jackson Bowlus won three individual events and led off two first place relays in helping Bluffton capture the overall meet title. Competing in the boys 15-over division, Bowlus won the 50 free (24.91), 50 fly (27.33) and 50 backstroke (28.06). He also joined Timothy Chrissobolis, Thomas Koh and Xavier Diller on the top 200 medley relay, and Diller, Charles Wright and Parker McGraw on the winning 200 free relay (1:43.73). In the boys 13-14 events, Bennett Crosser, Camden Verb and Everett Hixon were on the winning 200 medley relay (2:15.97) with Ashton Ungashick, and the first place 200 free relay (1:56.13) with Max Fritsch. Jenna Downey led Bluffton's girls team, placing first in the 15-over 50 free (28.01) and anchoring the winning 200 free relay team (1:57.09) that included Karlee Maag, Kari Diller and June Essinger. Adding individual wins for Bluffton were Parker in the 15-over 100 IM (1:04.45) and Weylyn Sutton in the girls 8-under 25 fly (21.25). Landry Harriger had a big meet for Ada. Competing in the 11-12 boys division, Harriger placed first in the 50- (30.66) and 100-meter (1:09.15) free, the 50 back (35.69), the 50 breast (36.55) and the 100 IM (1:15.62). Lincoln Harriger earned Ada firsts in the boys 13-14 50 back (31.59) and 50 breast (34.01). (14-sub head) Depuy hole-in-one FINDLAY – Findlay's Bruce Depuy scored his third career hole-in-one at Hillcrest Golf Club on Tuesday, acing the 124-yard No. 8 hole with a 9-irobn. Witnessing the shot were Greg Elchert and Bill Williams. (14-sub head) Gunka gets ace ARLINGTON – Dunkirk's Mary Gunka scored a hole-in-one at Arlington's Sycamore Springs Golf Course on Monday, acing the 125-yard 12th hole with a 6-iron. Witnessing the shot were John Gunka, Brenda Bader and Phil Bader.