Commodores Erase 7-Run Deficit For A Split With Westmoreland CCC

April 2, 2023 - - The Lorain County Community College Commodores were dead and buried but rose to life in the last two innings of Sunday's second game of the doubleheader to pick up the split against Westmoreland County Community College at Mercy Health Stadium. 

They lost the first game, 6-4, due to another late inning comeback by the Wolfpack and eventually fell in extra innings. Westmoreland beat LCCC last Wednesday with a walk off win in game one of that doubleheader, 3-2.  LCCC rebounded in the second game to split with the Wolfpack, 6-5.

But Sunday the Commodores offense sputtered in game one as they only mustered three hits.  They did take a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth with Jaden Nestor-Fox (Vermilion, Ohio/Vermilion HS) scoring on an error.  Austin Isenhart (Elyria, Ohio/Midview HS) and Mason Shultz (Vermilion, Ohio/Vermilion HS) both scored on Ben DeSimone's (Grafton, Ohio/Midview HS) single later in the inning.

Shultz pitched five innings for the Commodores, striking out four batters and limiting the Westmoreland offense to just three runs.  Caleb Shinsky (Lorain, Ohio/Clearview HS) came on in relief and worked a scoreless sixth inning before the Commodores comeback in the bottom half of the inning.  The seventh is when things began to unravel as Shinsky walked the leadoff batter, who was then sacrificed over to second with a bunt.  The next batter reached for the Wolfpack and Shinsky was relieved by Joey Kulwicki (Grafton, Ohio/Midview HS).  

Kulwicki nearly got out of the inning with a near double play but the throw to first was just late.  Kuwicki tried a pickoff attempt at third in the next at bat which got away from Nick Morgan (Grafton, Ohio/Midview HS) and Westmoreland scored the tying run.  Westmoreland would complete two sacrifice flies in the ninth to take the lead and game one.

Game two got started about as well as game one ended.  Rocky Houston (Grafton, Ohio/Keystone HS) escaped with minimal damage in the first two innings but the third inning was when things started to unravel for the sophomore.  Westmoreland scored five to increase their lead to seven runs and looked as though they would head home with a sweep.

Isenhart got the Commodores on the board in the bottom half of the third with a sac fly that scored DeSimone, but then they only managed one hit over the next seven batters.

Morgan replaced Houston in the fourth and threw three scoreless innings with a one strikeout to prevent the Wolfpack from doing any more damage.  Morgan's stingy performance allowed the Commodores to stay in the game as they would plate six runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game.

LCCC's comeback started with the first four batters of the inning reaching base via singles which culminated with Kulwicki singling home Jonathan St. Peter (Amherst, Ohio/Marion L. Steele) to start the onslaught.

Nestor-Fox was hit by a pitch which scored Donovan Gipper (North Ridgeville, Ohio/North Ridgeville HS).  DeSimone walked to score Alex Lloyd (Avon Lake, Ohio/Open Door Christian HS).  Kulwicki scored on the next at bat on Shultz's fielder's choice. 

Shultz stole second to set the stage for Isenhart who dropped a bloop single into left to score both Shultz and Nestor-Fox and tie the game 7-7.

Morgan allowed a walk to start the seventh and was replaced by Shinsky who worked out of a jam with two runners in scoring position with no outs.  The freshman forced two ground outs to Nestor-Fox at second and then took care of a ground ball to end the threat.

Gipper walked to start the bottom of the seventh.  Lloyd bunted him over to second and two batters later Julian Martinez (Grafton, Ohio/Midview HS) singled home the Gipper for the LCCC's first home win and their first walk off of the season, 8-7.

The Commodores will return to Mercy Health Stadium for a doubleheader with Lakeland Community College this Friday starting at 1 p.m.