The Slicer baseball team traveled to Merrillville Wednesday night and for the second day in a row defeated the Pirates in five innings by the ten run mercy rule. La Porte scored in every inning while Cody Ryden and Brock Schultz combined to shut the Pirates out allowing five total hits in the 10-0 win.
La Porte posted single runs in both the first and second innings. Ben Dubbs was hit by a pitch to lead the game off. He moved to second on a Carter Moses single and moved to third on a Kade Flores fielder’s choice. He scored on a line drive sacrifice fly by Drew Catron. Keli Hay led off the second inning with a double that landed on the right field line. He scored on Jax Land’s base hit to make it 2-0 LP after two innings.
The Slicers scored four runs in the third. The first five Slicer batters reached base in the inning. Moses singled followed by a Flores double to put runners on second and third. Catron singled to knock them both in. Tommy Samuelson reached on an infield error followed by a two run double by Hay. It was 6-0 LP after three.
It was 8-0 after the Slicer fourth. Dubbs reached on a throwing error and scored on Moses’ double. Brock Schultz, courtesy running for Moses, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Catron’s second sacrifice fly of the game.
LP picked up two more runs in the fifth. Jax Land hit a one out double and moved to third on a wild pitch. Drew Flores was hit by a pitch putting runners at first and third. Land scored on a Kai Jones ground out and Flores made it 10-0 scoring on a Dubbs double.
Ryden was solid throwing four innings of four hit shutout ball. He struck out eight, walked one and hit one batter. Schultz gave up a hit and a walk, striking out one in the fifth.
Moses was three for four with an RBI and two runs scored by his courtesy runner Schultz. Catron was one for one, scored a run and had four RBI. Hay was two for three with two RBI and a run scored. Land was two for two with a run, an RBI and a stolen base. Hay was named the Salisbury and Spence Edward Jones Player of the Game.
RJ Anglin, who tweaked his surgically repaired knee Tuesday night was not in the lineup for precautionary reasons. Tuesday’s winning pitcher Grant Olson, who also left Tuesday’s game with knee soreness, was not scheduled to play Wednesday but felt much better.
La Porte’s record improves to 16-7 and 9-3 in the DAC. The Slicers travel to Lowell for a double header scheduled to start at 10:00 AM Saturday. The Slicers travel to Valpo Tuesday and host the Vikings Wednesday in a battle for second in the DAC. Both teams are 9-3 in conference play. Lake Central clinched the DAC title with a 9-2 win over Portage Wednesday, they are 12-0 in DAC play.
