News

By Eli Halverson | June 19, 2025

Following a high-scoring win in game one of the series against the Lima Locos, the Joes returned home on Thursday night aiming to secure the series and build some momentum heading into the weekend. Due to inclement weather, game two was rescheduled for Thursday, setting up a doubleheader at Foundation Field—a venue where the Joes have faced their share of struggles early in the season.  

 

Game One

 

Once again, the Joes got on the board early. While scoring in the first inning has become a recurring trend, the team's aggressive baserunning continues to be a driving force—and it showed again Thursday night. Jackson Wang ripped an opposite-field single, stole second, and advanced to third on a Diego DeCello groundout that also brought in the game’s first run. Moments later, Marc Iozzo delivered an RBI single to give Hamilton a 2–0 lead.

 

The Locos responded quickly, plating two runs in the second to tie things up. But the Joes wasted no time regaining control. With runners on second and third, Iozzo came through again with his second RBI single of the night. Christopher Roa Calcano then drew a bases-loaded walk to double the lead, and in the sixth inning, Travis Yankovich added a crucial insurance run with an RBI single to push the score to 5–2.

The bullpen sealed the deal from there. Carson Brower was once again stellar in relief, tossing 2.2 shutout innings while striking out four. He lowered his ERA to an outstanding 0.90 on the season. From there, Justin Hoevel finished things off with a scoreless seventh, allowing just one baserunner and locking down the save.

At the plate, Marc Iozzo was the clear standout, going 2-for-3 with two RBI singles, coming up and delivering in huge spots for the Joes. He also added two stolen bases, which has been another big part of the Joes’ success not only in this game, but in the season in general. Hamilton was tied for the lead in the GLSCL in stolen bases coming into the day, with 41, and only added to that total with six more stolen bags on the night.

 

Game Two

 

In the second half of Thursday’s doubleheader, the Joes looked to accomplish something they hadn’t done all season—complete a three-game sweep.

 

This one was all about pitching. Joes’ starter Dale Ellis took the mound and was outstanding, tossing six strong innings while allowing just one unearned run on four hits and striking out five. He cruised through the early frames and remained in complete control until a few baserunners reached in the seventh.

The game’s first breakthrough came in the fourth inning. With two outs and a runner on third, outfielder Travis Yankovich smashed a grounder that the first basemen just couldn’t quite handle, allowing the Joes to take a 1–0 lead.

Hamilton added some cushion in the sixth—once again, thanks to more aggressive baserunning. After back-to-back walks to start the inning, Miguel Correa moved up to third on a fielder’s choice. Then came a perfectly executed delayed double steal: Mark Nowak broke for second and just beat the throw, and Correa immediately took off for home, sliding in just under the tag to make it 2–0. A wild pitch later in the inning allowed Nowak to come around and score, extending the lead to 3–0.

That opened the floodgates, and the Joes capitalized on a series of walks and wild pitches to build a 7–0 lead heading into the final frame.

The Locos made one last push in the seventh, stringing together a couple of singles and taking advantage of a defensive miscue to load the bases with nobody out. But Ashton Hopewell came on in relief and slammed the door, allowing just one run and securing the 7–1 win.

This was a statement sweep for the Joes—not only did they take all three games, but they did so with excellent pitching and two home wins, all against one of the top teams in the league.  Dale Ellis, Jackson Tyler, Carson Brower, these are some of the guys that will be key for Hamilton’s hopes of repeating as GLSCL Champions in 2025, and they delivered this week on the mound.

 

The Joes return to action Friday night, on the road against the Flag City Sluggers with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM.