5-Run Rally Propels Commodores To Victory in Split With Hocking College

April 12, 2023 - - Lorain County Community College took a split with Hocking College this afternoon at Mercy Health Stadium, using a five-run rally late in game one for the 8-6 win before losing 20-10 to the Hawks in the second game.

Hocking took advantage of some early miscues by the Commodores in game one, scoring on a wild pitch from starter Cody DeVos (Bay Village, Ohio/Bay HS).  DeVos went five innings for the Commodores allowing only two earned runs and punching out three batters in the process.

LCCC, who would combine to have 10 hits in game one, plated two runs in the bottom half of the inning thanks to Rocky Houston's (Grafton, Ohio/Keystone HS) two-run bomb to right field putting the Commodores out front, 2-1.  Houston finished game one going 3-for-4 and a run scored.

After a scoreless second, Hocking loaded the bases with no outs and scored four runs before the Commodores recorded three straight outs to stop the rally.  Austin Isenhart (Elyria, Ohio/Midview HS) scored Mason Shultz (Vermilion, Ohio/Vermilion HS) in the fourth with a single, one of three hits the sophomore would have on the day in both contests. 

Isenhart was also the kickstarter of a one-out five-run rally the Commodores put up in the bottom of the sixth.  He walked and was replaced with the speedy Alex Lloyd (Avon Lake, Ohio/Open Door Christian HS) who advanced to second on Jonathan St. Peter's (Amherst, Ohio/Marion L. Steele HS) opposite field single to right.

Sam Mullenax (Middleburg Heights, Ohio/Berea-Midpark HS) singled home Lloyd and advanced to second on the wayward throw to the plate. Mullenax got it done at the plate and in the field.   He had four hits on the afternoon, including a 3-for-4, 3 RBI performance in game two and made a number of flashy plays at third with the leather. 

St. Peter tied the game 5-5 from third base two batters later on a wild pitch.

But the Commodores weren't done.  With two down, Mullenax at third and Michael Flachbart (North Ridgeville, Ohio/North Ridgeville HS) reaching first with a walk, Jaden Nestor-Fox (Vermilion, Ohio/Vermilion HS) completed his 3-for-3, 2-run, 2-RBI game one when he tripled down the right field line just over the outstretched glove of Hocking's first baseman and scored both runners before scoring himself on another wild pitch four pitches later.

However, the Commodores still had to finish the game, and Hocking didn't make it easy. They scored one run on reliever Caleb Shinksy (Lorain, Ohio/Clearview HS) after he easily got the first two batters out and manage to get the tying run to second.  The freshman calmly got the next Hawk hitter to ground out to Shultz at short and pick up his first win of the 2023 campaign. In both games, Shinsky combined for four innings pitched allowed just three earned runs, six hits, and a strike out.

However, the momentum did not career over into game two as the Hawks scored 13 runs in the first three innings.  Mullenax, Nestor-Fox, and Isenhart all turned in multi-hit games for the Commodores.  Dan Arth pitched two innings of relief with a strikeout against three earned runs allowed.

LCCC will play No. 5 Owens Community College four times this weekend.  Two games will be played in Perrysburg, Ohio on Friday and two in Sandusky, Ohio at Sports Force Parks.