Grant Olson and Drew Flores threw a combined five inning one hitter, backed up by errorless defense and timely two out hitting propelling La Porte to a 10-0 five inning win over Hammond Morton. It was the 2023 home opener for the Slicers.

 

Olson cruised through the first four innings. He gave up a two out double in the first, the only hit of the game for Morton, and issued walks in the second and fourth innings. After the second inning walk to Evan Blankman, Olson promptly picked him off. The senior lefty struck out seven. Drew Flores pitched a perfect fifth inning striking out two.

 

The Slicer offense came to life after suffering a perfect game 1-0 loss to Penn on Tuesday.

 

Morton lefty Billy Vukobratovich struck out the side in the first inning only giving up a one out double to Carter Moses. The first would be the only inning LP failed to score.

 

Vukobratovich’s control deserted him in the second. He walked Tommy Samuelson and Kai Jones then hit Ryan Bruemmer with to load the bases. After striking out Drew Catron he issued a walk to Ben Dubbs scoring Samuelson for the first run. Leadoff man Kade Flores then hit a fly ball to short left field allowing Jones to tag up and score giving LP a 2-0 lead after two innings.

 

The Slicers broke the game open in the third sending 10 men to the plate and scoring six runs. RJ Anglin started the festivities ripping a single into left center. The ball was not fielded cleanly by Jacob Stepek and Anglin moved to second on the error. Jax Land hit a fly ball to center moving Anglin to third on a close play. Samuelson followed with another fly out to center and scoring Anglin to make it 3-0. 

 

La Porte’s bats came alive with the bases empty and two out as the next six hitters reached base. Jones singled and stole second. He scored on Bruemmer’s scorched double down the third base line making it 4-0. Catron walked before Dubbs knocked in Bruemmer with a base hit making it 5-0. Kade Flores was hit with a pitch to load the bases. Moses slapped a single to left center that easily scoring Catron and Dubbs. Coach Scott Upp saw a sloppy cutoff throw and sent Flores home to score. Anglin flew out to center to end the inning and the Slicers led 8-0 after three.

 

Alex Rodriguez came in to pitch for the Governors in the fourth. He got pinch hitter AJ Mrozinske to fly out to center and Samuelson to pop out to the first baseman in foul territory. Pinch hitter Brock Schultz drew a two out walk and stole second. He scored on Bruemmer’s single to make it 9-0 after four innings.

 

The Slicers made it a 10 run mercy rule win in the fifth picking up a run off of Morton’s third pitcher of the day Ivan Gallegos. Kelli Hay popped to short to start the inning. Kade Flores ripped a base hit to left center then stole second. Pinch hitter Thomas Hill hit a hard line drive right at the left fielder for the second out. Anglin walked before Mrozinske hit a slow roller toward the third baseman for an infield hit. The speedy Flores scored from second to end the game. 

 

La Porte pitchers have given up just one run and three hits in 12 innings so far this year and the defense has not committed an error. After striking out 12 times at Penn and adding three more in the first inning Thursday Slicer hitters only fanned one time in the final four innings. Seven different players had hits for LP in the game. Moses was 2-3 with 3 RBI. Bruemmer had a double and single in three trips scoring once and driving in one. 

 

Olson was the winning pitcher and was named the Salisbury and Spence Edward Jones Player of the Game.

 

La Porte is scheduled to travel to Logansport Saturday for a doubleheader. First pitch at 10:00 AM Central Time. The next home game and DAC opener will be Tuesday vs Portage. First pitch at 4:30. All Slicer games can be heard on 96.7 the Eagle WCOE.

 

Photos courtesy of Angie Anglin.