On Tuesday night (June 8), the Lima Locos welcomed the Decatur Dirty Birds (Decatur, IN) to the friendly confines of Simmons Field in Lima, Ohio for the opening exhibition contest of 2010 for the Locos.  Lima used a six-run bottom of the fifth inning to add to its 4-0 lead and held on for the 11-2 victory in a game called in the bottom of the sixth inning due to a steady rain that began at first pitch and continued until the umpires called the game.

Locos right-hander, Bronson Gagner (Chattahoochee Valley CC) picked up the exhibition win, while Kyle Klinker received the loss for Decatur.  Gagner unofficially threw four innings of scoreless four hit ball, while striking out seven of the sixteen hitters he faced and walking none.  The Locos scored three runs in the first, one in the third, six in the fifth and one in the bottom of the sixth, before the game concluded.  On the offensive end, the Locos used two-run homeruns from Andrew Deeds (Morehead State University) and Kevin Gifford (University of Alabama), both in the bottom of that fifth inning.  Deeds (unofficially 2-3, 1 R, 2 RBI, HR) hit thirteen homeruns during his spring college season in 2010, while Gifford (unofficially 2-2, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR, 2 BB) redshirted for the Crimson Tide in 2010.

Other unofficial offensive notables:

Jamal Austin (UAB) - 2-2, 2 R, RBI

Cam Luther (Michigan) - 0-1, 3 R, 3 B

Tyler Mills (Michigan) - 1-3, 3 RBI

Kevin Korkate (Lima Bath/Oakland University) tossed two innings of three hit baseball, giving up two runs (both earned), while striking out one and walking two.

Box scores will be available for the regular season, but may not be for the exhibition contests.

The Locos return to action tonight (June 9) at Simmons Field against the Lima Buckeyes for the second of four exhibition contests this week.  First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m.