The preseason pitching plan for Tommy Samuelson was to use the senior as a top of the rotation pitcher; possibly a Wednesday conference game starter or a weekend contributor. A sore shoulder has limited the right hander to just five innings in 2023. Monday night, with a healed shoulder and a five game week looming, the 6’5 Samuelson stepped up with a solid start leading LP to an 8-3 win over a young, talented, 15-4 Boone Grove team.

 

To say things didn’t start well for the Slicers would be an understatement. In the top of the first Boone Grove’s Seth Pitcock hit a pop up to short right center field that fell for a single. Slicer center fielder Kai Jones attempted a sliding catch but couldn’t hang on to the wind aided blooper. Pitcock went to second when Samuelson’s pickoff throw to first was off the mark. Trey Pitcock drew a walk putting runners on first and second with no outs. Davian Carrerra hit a hard grounder up the middle. Slicer second baseman Kade Flores moving to hit right couldn’t pick the ball up cleanly and the bases were loaded with no one out. Samuelson got cleanup man Ben Truby to hit a chopper to shortstop RJ Anglin that LP turned into a 6-4-3 double play but did score Seth Pitcock to make it 1-0 with a runner on third. Andrew Batesole hit another ground ball up the middle that was picked up by Anglin near second base. His throw to first sailed past first baseman AJ Mrozinske allowing Trey Pitcock to score making it 2-0 Boone Grove.

 

Samuelson settled in, allowing only a single run in the third inning. Carrerra drew a one out walk. He moved to second when Anglin robbed Truby of base hit with a diving stop on a ball in the hole between short and third. The senior then made an incredible throw to get Truby at first. Carrerra moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Batesole’s infield single giving the Wolves their third and final run. 

 

Samuelson, who was named the Salisbury and Spence Edward Jones Player of the Game, went six innings allowing three runs, only one earned on four hits. He also fanned eleven and walked three to earn the win. Anglin pitched the seventh, striking out three.

 

La Porte picked up an odd run in the bottom of the second without a hit. Keli Hay drew a walk then moved to second on a wild pitch, to third on an errant pickoff throw and scored on a balk by BG starting pitcher Carrerra.

 

The Slicers took a 4-3 lead, scoring three runs in the third inning. Ben Dubbs drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on Carter Moses’ ground out. Kade Flores also walked and was able to run all the way to second as ball four got away from the catcher. This put runners on second and third. Anglin ripped a single to left to driving in Dubbs and Flores. The left fielder’s throw to the plate got by the catcher and the pitcher backing him up allowing Anglin to reach third. Anglin scored on a wild pitch.

 

La Porte picked up single runs in the fourth and fifth off relief pitcher Seth Pitcock. Dubbs and Moses had solid one out singles. They moved to second and third on a balk. Kade Flores walked to load the bases. Dubbs scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3.  In the sixth Hay drew a leadoff walk, he stole second and moved to third when Truby’s throw went into center field. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Jax Land to make it 6-3 Slicers after five innings.

 

LP picked up two insurance runs in the sixth. Singles by Kade Flores, Catron and Hay loaded the bases. DH Drew Flores lined a two out 3-2 pitch into left field for a two run single making it 8-3.

 

Scott Upp brought sophomore Gage Raymond and freshman CT Rusbolt up from the JV team. Both saw action and each drew a walk. The Slicers had seven hits but took advantage of eight Boone Grove walks and two hit batsmen.

 

The Slicers, now 14-7 on the season, will host conference foe Merrillville Tuesday at Schreiber Field. On Wednesday they will visit the Pirates in Merrillville. Both games are scheduled to start at 4:30.  Saturday LP travels to Lowell for a double header starting at 10:00 am. All of these games can be heard on WCOE 96.7 the Eagle and the 96.7 the Eagle App.

 

Photos Courtesy of Susan Anglin.