Mariners 12, Scouts 6

Grand Lake Mariners storm back, break game open in seventh to beat Xenia 12–6
July 2, 2026 — Grady's Field (Xenia, OH)

The Grand Lake Mariners erased an early four-run deficit and then blew the game open with a five-run seventh inning to defeat the Xenia Scouts 12–6 on Thursday night at Grady's Field.

Xenia (17–5) looked in control early, capitalizing on Grand Lake mistakes to build a 5–1 lead through two innings. The Scouts scored twice in the first and added three more in the second, with all three second-inning runs coming unearned as Grand Lake committed four errors on the night—two charged to starting pitcher Joseph Lafkas. Gabe Mathison and Ethan Moore did the early damage: Moore drove in two and Mathison added two RBIs and two stolen bases.

Grand Lake (8–15) began chipping away in the third. Forrest Day singled home Samuel Chapman, and catcher Marek Bolson followed with an RBI double to cut the deficit to 5–3. The Mariners then tied it in the fourth, again taking advantage of Xenia miscues (two errors total for the Scouts). By the end of the inning, Grand Lake had pushed across three runs to pull even at 6–6.

The turning point came in the seventh. With the game tied, Grand Lake sent nine men to the plate and scored five times. Luke Wildes delivered the go-ahead RBI single, Brandt Kendall added another run-scoring hit, and CJ Filipek broke it wide open with a three-run triple to right, giving the Mariners an 11–6 cushion. Grand Lake tacked on an additional run in the ninth to finish the scoring.

Filipek finished with four RBIs (including a sac fly and the decisive three-run triple), while Wildes and Kendall combined to score five runs and drive in two. Day (2-for-5 with an RBI and a stolen base) and Bolson (2-for-4 with an RBI double) helped fuel a 13-hit Mariners attack.

On the mound, Grand Lake's bullpen flipped the game after Lafkas' shaky, error-aided start (2.1 IP, 5 R, 2 ER). Elias Alvarado earned the win with 1.2 scoreless innings and five strikeouts, and the Mariners' relief corps held Xenia to one run over the final 6.2 innings. Christian Douglass allowed one run in three innings, and Alex Dues closed with two scoreless frames.

For Xenia, starter Trey Tipton battled through three innings but was tagged for five runs (four earned) and issued four walks. The decisive seventh belonged to reliever Caleb Shreve, who took the loss after allowing five runs in two-thirds of an inning.

Grand Lake's late surge turned a sloppy, back-and-forth game into a convincing road win, outscoring the Scouts 9–1 from the seventh inning on.

Game notes: Attendance 70; duration 3:45.