The La Porte baseball team used the strong arm of RJ Anglin and some shaky MC defense in route to a 7-1 DAC victory over the Wolves. The win upped the Slicer record at 12-6 on the season and 6-3 in the DAC, keeping them in a tie for second place behind 8-0 Lake Central.
Anglin was overpowering on the mound, allowing one run on three hits. He struck out 13 and uncharacteristically walked four over six innings. The Wolves scored their only run in the sixth using three walks and a bloop hit to score. Brock Schultz pitched the seventh allowing a walk, picking up a strikeout and starting a 1-6-3 double play to end the game.
Freshman Cody Benedict was impressive on the mound for MC. He pitched four innings allowing two runs, both unearned and three hits. He struck out four and walked three. Jack Barnes threw two innings allowing three runs, only one earned and three hits. Jeffrey Hazel pitched the seventh inning allowing two unearned runs.
The Slicers took a 1-0 lead in the third inning. Ben Dubbs, who reached base five times in game without a hit, grounded to short. Michigan City first baseman Colton Strope took his foot off of the base early allowing Dubbs to reach. Kade Flores dropped a double into right field scoring Dubbs.
LP added a run in the fourth without the benefit of a hit. Benedict retired the first two hitters and got Drew Flores to hit a ground ball to third. The third baseman’s throw was wild and the speedy Flores went all the way to third. Kai Jones and Dubbs drew walks to load the bases. Jax Land hit a ground ball that the shortstop couldn’t handle and the Slicers were up 2-0.
La Porte picked up another single run in the fifth to make it 3-0. Anglin hit a pop up to short left the fell in for a double. Tommy Samuelson was clipped by a pitch. AJ Mrozinske, courtesy running for Anglin, was thrown out at third trying to advance on a pitch that got away from sophomore catcher Brady O’Malley. Samuelson advance to second on the play and scored on Keli Hay’s RBI single.
The Slicers scored two runs on just a hit in both the sixth and seventh innings. In the sixth a walk to Dubbs followed by Kade Flores being hit with a pitch set up an RBI single by Samuelson. In the seventh LP used two Michigan City errors and an RBI single from Drew Flores to make it 7-1.
Anglin was named the Salisbury and Spence Edward Jones Player of the Game. He picked up the win striking out 13 over six innings and went 2-4 at the plate. Catcher Keli Hay was also 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Leadoff man Dubbs reached base five times, drawing three walks and reaching twice on errors. He also stole three bases.
Michigan City falls to 4-12 on the season and 0-9 in the DAC. The future is bright for the Wolves, four freshman and two sophomores played in the game. The Slicers played without centerfielder Ryan Bruemmer who is out with a hamstring injury and catcher Carter Moses who has arm stiffness.
The Slicers will host the Wolves Wednesday night at Schreiber Field. It is Senior Night and seven seniors, RJ Anglin, Kade Flores, Tommy Samuelson, Brock Schultz, Jax Land, AJ Mrozinske, and Gran Olson, will be honored starting at 4:00. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30.
