Lorain County drops twinbill

The Lorain County Ironmen played a pair of seven-inning games against Licking County at The Pipe Yard on July 15, and Game 1 was arguably the most heart-breaking loss of the year.

The Ironmen held a comfortable 3-0 lead heading into the top of the seventh when mental errors took over. With two men on and two outs, Licking County’s James Peck hit a grounder to Ironmen third baseman Mathew Carpenter. Instead of throwing for an easy out at second, Carpenter flailed a throw to first base, allowing a run to score.

The following batter, Michael Piskorz, advanced to first on another error on Carpenter to load the bases, setting up Miguel Pimentel to rip a three-run double for a 4-3 lead.

The Ironmen got two men on in the bottom half, but failed to score.

Lorain County starter Ryan LaPage tossed a complete game, giving up five hits, zero earned runs and notched five strikeouts. The left-hander consistently pounded the strike zone, and rarely put himself in a three-ball count.

Although tough, LaPage took the loss with class.

“Ultimately my job is to go out there and give us a good chance to win the ballgame,” LaPage said. “I did that for six strong innings and in the seventh there was a couple plays we could have made. I had my whole arsenal today. It’s unfortunate, but that’s baseball. I’ve been in situations like that before.”

The Ironmen had seven total hits, and got on the board in the bottom of the third after Antonio Bennett (Clearview) hit a grounder up the middle that the second baseman bobbled, scoring Nicholas Novak. A few

batters later, Nathan Erzen hit an infield RBI single, scoring Canyon McWilliams for a 2-0 lead.

Lorain County tacked on another run in the fourth when Novak hit a RBI double to center, scoring Carpenter. Novak finished 3-for-4. Settlers starter Cade Killingsworth went four innings giving up one earned run.

“It’s a shame we didn’t get a win for Ryan LaPage,” Ironmen manager Kevin Whiteside said. “That falls on us. We have to make plays and learn how to close out games. It’s very disappointing.”

In the nightcap, the Ironmen once again blew an early lead, and fell, 6-2, to drop to 9-23 overall. Justin Liserio (Lorain) got Lorain County an RBI scoring Richard Phillips and in the fourth, Caleb Waller (Vermilion) brought home Jaret Peterson for a 2-0 lead. But in the top of the fifth, with two on and two outs, Henry Eilen ripped a three-run triple, and the Settlers grabbed a 3-2 lead. They tacked on three more runs in the top of the seventh to blow it open.

Ironmen starter Tyler Gault went five innings and gave up eight hits, striking out four.

The Ironmen mustered four hits, and Licking County had 10.