Archive: Sports

Lansing salvaged the final game of the three game summer series of American Legion Baseball versus Ithaca.  The Bobcats defeated the Little Red 6-4 in Lansing on Wednesday Evening.  Ithaca won the 2 previous meetings, 5-1 and then 5-4 in 10 innings.  The third matchup went to Lansing thanks to a 4 run 6th inning.

Ithaca opened the game with a first pitch double by Jeff Hodges.  Hodges then advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a ground out by the second batter, Anthony Massici.  Lansing answered in the bottom half of the first with Harrison Herzog's single that plated Brian Milliman.  The Little Red avoided further damage as Lansing's Nate Martin was thrown out trying to score on a great throw by Ithaca's Left Fielder Bret Lofgren.

Lansing took a 2-1 lead in the fourth but Ithaca answered with 3 runs in the top of the fifth with three straight singles by Johnson, Hodges, and Massici and a sacrifice fly by Tommy Lloyd.  Lansing starter Josh Rodgers left during the fifth inning and Nicky French pitched out of the jam and got 2 more out in the sixth inning.  Rodgers threw 4.3 innings struck out 4 and allowed 3 earned runs.

The bottom of the sixth opened with Ithaca ahead 4-2 as Rodgers laced a lead off single which was then followed by Herzog's third hit of the night.  Will Opperman executed a perfect sacrifice bunt and French drove home pinch runner Tyler Matoon with a single.  Following a walk and a fielder's choice the bases were loaded when Lansing's current pitcher, Justin Hulbert, drew a 2 out, 3-2 count base on balls to tie the game at 4.  Brian Milliman than drilled a single up the third baseline plating his brother Nolan as well as T.J. Cretney to seal the victory.

Hulbert closed out the win in the seventh after wiggling out of danger with a pick off and a great game ending play by Teagan Barresi at third base.

Jeff Hodges was 3-4 for Ithaca and Tommy Lloyd added 2 hits for the Little Red.

For the Bobcats' Brian Milliman and Teagan Barresi each had a pair of hits and Harrison Herzog was a perfect 3-3 as Justin Hulbert earned the win in relief of strong pitching from Rodgers and French.

----
v5i29