By Jacob Russell

CINCINNATI, Ohio - Cincinnati scored five runs in the first four innings against Southern Ohio’s unprepared replacement starting pitcher and never looked back. 

Cameron Stiglich (Western Kentucky) was set to pitch his first outing of the summer before he aggravated a previous throwing arm injury while warming up. Nick Kaiser (Shawnee State) had to make his first “start” of the year for the Copperheads without notice. 

Consecutive homers in the bottom of the first inning gave the Steam a 3-0 lead. Leadoff man Gephry Pena (Central Florida) hit a leadoff single before Warsaw Federal Player of the Game Braydon Runion (Walters State CC) sent a pitch over the screen in right field. Eddie Pursinger (Dayton), the left-handed first baseman batting cleanup, also went opposite field for his solo shot.

Right fielder Ethan Stringer’s (Louisville) lone hit of the day in the fourth inning added to Cincinnati’s lead by knocking in catcher Ben McCabe (Central Florida). The next batter, Runion, drove in Pena for the second time using a single. 

Three straight Southern Ohio singles against Steam starter Andrew Noelker (Cincinnati) loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fifth inning, but second baseman Zach Iverson’s (Michigan State) RBI single was the only damage done. Despite Noelker’s ability to get out of the jam, his night was done at five innings in which he allowed five hits and one earned run, struck out two and walked one. The 2019 GLSCL South All-Star now has an improved 3-0 record and 0.84 ERA.

Relieving Noelker on the mound was outfielder Grant Richardson’s (Indiana) first pitching appearance of the summer. After striking out the first two hitters, Richardson gave up an RBI single to fellow Hoosier outfielder Jared Heard. 

Stiglich’s injury forced Kaiser to come in could, which is part of the reason why the losing pitcher allowed eight hits and five earned runs, struck out eight and walked two in six innings. Six innings is double the length of Kaiser’s longest relief appearance.  

Copperheads designated hitter Sebastian Fabik (Ohio) put his team within three runs with an RBI single of his own in the seventh inning. Richardson, who pitched in high school and can hit 89 miles per hour with his fastball, gave up four hits and two earned runs, struck out five and walked one in two innings of work.

Collin Sells (Ohio) was the “first man out of the bullpen” for Southern Ohio and wasn’t great in his only inning, the seventh. Left fielder Jake Silverstein (Dayton) hit an RBI single that scored Runion and designated hitter Cameron Rountree’s (Wright State) double brought in Silverstein and shortstop Tyler Wardwell (Duke). 

While closing out Cincinnati’s 8-3 win, Jack Dungan (Eastern Michigan) struck out three and gave up only one hit in the final two innings.

The Steam’s probable starters for the rest of this series are Southern Indiana’s Jordan Menfee (2-0, 3.06 ERA) on Saturday and Wright State’s Jake Schrand (1-1, 2.29 ERA) on Sunday.

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