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LIMA, Ohio - The Hamilton Joes used a strong pitching performance clinching its third GLSCL Championship in a 3-1 victory over the Lima Locos at Simmons Field.

 

Sebastian Gongora (Wright State) went seven innings baffling batters all night holding the Locos at bay scattering just four hits.

 

Chase Hopewell (Cincinnati) acted as the hammer out of bullpen striking out five of the six batters he faced slamming the door on Lima’s hopes of a seventh all-time title.

 

Head coach Tyler Thamann can now boast being a champion for the Joes as both a player and a coach. Thamann was an outfielder for the Joes in 2016 beating the Locos who also clinched at Simmons Field.

 

Click here to watch postgame interview with Tyler Thanmann.  

 

The Joes set the tone jumping out to a fast start when Colton Becker (Morehead State led off the game with a double.

 

Becker stole third and scored on an RBI-ground out by designated hitter Evan Ulrich (Charleston).

 

In the third inning the Locos defense committed two errors with the Joes taking advantage off one of them scoring as a direct result. 

 

Becker singles with one out and Ulrich followed lacing a base hit to right field. This would have setup the Joes with runners on the corners. The throw from right field was errant getting away from the second basemen allowing Becker to score on the play.

 

The Joes scored another run in the fourth inning taking a 3-0 advantage on an RBI-double by Harry Jackson (Lourdes University) plating Logan Castleman (Morehead State). 

 

Gongora was dominate the first two times through the Locos lineup. He retired 13 straight batters until Jake Killingworth (UAB) singled leading off the sixth inning.

 

Gongora did begin to tire in the seventh inning as he approached the 100-pitch plateau.

 

Back-to-back singles by Colton Ledbetter (Samford University) and Derrick Jackson, Jr. (Jacksonville State) started the home seventh inning for the Locos. Miller Ladusau (Abilene Christian) followed with a walk loading the bases.

 

Gongora induced a shallow fly ball by Trevor Austin (Mercer University) that was not deep enough for the runner at third base to tag up.

 

The Locos finally broke the seal when Nate White (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi) drove in Ledbetter with a sacrifice fly for the second out of the inning.

 

Gongora retired Killingsworth on a ground ball fielder’s choice retiring the side.

 

Gongora, who won a pair of high school state championships for Chamiade-Julienne against schools from the 419 area code, was a menace to the area was again. 

 

The Eagles won in 2018 against Wapakoneta on a two-run single in the seventh inning hit by Gongora. He was the winning pitching against Van Wert in the 2019 title game throwing a four-hit complete game.

 

Gongora struck out seven batters before handing the ball off tp Hopewell who was dominate in his two innings of work.

 

Hopewell either overpowered the Locos batters with a high velocity fastball or keep them off balance with flitting breaking stuff. 

 

Hopewell, who recently announced he was transferring to the University of Cincinnati, struck out Ladasau looking before being swarmed in a dog pile celebrating the championship victory.

 

The Joe who previously won titles in 2010 and 2016 held off the Locos from winning its 7th all-time championship.

 

ABOUT THE GREAT LAKES SUMMER COLLEGIATE LEAGUE 

The Great Lakes Summer Collegiate, founded in 1986 playing its first season in 1987, is a wood-bat league that is certified by the NCAA and is partially funded by Major League Baseball. The league currently consists of 14 active franchises in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana boasting several players that have earned service time in major league baseball.