CINCINNATI, OH – A six-run eighth inning spelled for Licking County doom for the Cincinnati Steam as the Settlers win the 2012 Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League Championship series 2-0 at Western Hills High School.
The Steam jumped ahead first in the bottom half of the fourth inning. After a two-out double by centerfielder Nick Priessman (Eastern Illinois/Colerain), Bryan Beaver (Miami/Lakota West) sent a ball over the left field fence for a two-run homer. This gave the Steam a 2-0 advantage in what was a pitcher’s duel between Steam starter Conner Stevens (Tennessee) and Licking County’s David Koll.
Stevens pitched especially well in his best performance this season for the Steam. The right handed pitcher from Raleigh, North Carolina shut down the Settlers through seven innings with six strikeouts and just two walks.
In the eighth inning, Stevens gave up a leadoff hit to start the inning and gave way to the Steam bullpen. After Ryan Martin (Michigan State/Turpin) retired the only batter he faced, the bullpen imploded. Licking County scored six times including back-to-back home runs by Jake Fields and Austin Bossart to take a 6-2 lead and hang on to the championship.
It was the third time the Steam had a chance to win the league’s post season title, winning back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2009.
LICK CO. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 - 6 15 0
STEAM 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 - 2 9 0
WP – Conner Murphy (2-0), LP – Alex Vice (0-1)
LICK – LOB 10; Fields 3-5, 2B, HR, 2RBI; Huber 2-3, 2B, RBI; Bossart 2-4, HR, RBI; M. Calderon 2-5, RBI; Cordell 2-5, RBI; Schulz 2-5.
CIN – LOB 9; Andresen 3-4; Beaver 1-3, HR 2RBI; Wormsley 1-3, 2B; Priessman 1-4, 2B; Madsen 1-5, 2B.