BOB WREN STADIUM -- Bobby Spencer (Towson University) was the star of the show Friday night, walking it off for the Southern Ohio Copperheads as they knocked off the Licking County Settlers 6-5 in extra innings, winning both games in the day’s doubleheader action.

Spencer, who was the winning pitcher in the first game of the doubleheader, swapped his glove for a bat as he took the role of Designated Hitter for action in the second contest. 

Led by Spencer, the Copperheads bats woke up late in game two as they tallied eight hits after being blanked for nearly the first half of the game. 

Spencer finished 2-for-4 at the dish along with 4 RBIs, including the winning run that he helped cross after being plunked to finish the game. Luke Garabedian (Indiana State University) hit 2-for-4 as well, scoring 2 runs and knocking in an RBI, while Caden Crawford (University of Evansville) slashed 2-for-3, scoring a run and tallying an RBI of his own.

Ben Vore (Wright State University) led the Settlers at the plate for both games, hitting 2-for-4 in the second while scoring a run and notching an RBI. Nick Lukac (University of Indianapolis) and CJ Willis (University of Memphis) both tallied a 1-for-4 day at the plate, scoring a run and knocking in an RBI each.

The Settlers came out firing following their 5-2 defeat earlier in the evening, immediately getting on the board once again in the first much like they did in game one.

A leadoff walk from Adam Crawford (California University of Pennsylvania) followed by a Copperhead fielding error found the Settlers with a man on third and only one out. Vore then stepped to the plate and fired a single into the outfield to give Licking County an early 1-0 lead.

That lead doubled in the top of the fourth when Willis knocked a ball over the right field wall for a solo home run that found the Settlers up 2-0.

Southern Ohio punched right back, with a pair of singles from Garabedian and Crawford giving the Cheads runners on first and second. After a strikeout, Spencer stepped to the plate with two outs and crushed a ball to left field for an RBI double to cut the lead in half.

It looked like the comeback effort was about to be unraveled when the Settlers responded with a three-run fifth inning to balloon their lead. A two-out single from Lukac plated a baserunner before Vore added a single of his own. With runners on first and second, Willis knocked a ball into left field and another Copperhead fielding error allowed both runners to score and bolster Licking County’s lead at 5-1.

Once again, the Cheads wasted no time responding and did so in resounding fashion. Jack Dupuis (Olivet Nazarene University) drew a walk and Evan St. Claire (University of the Cumberlands) knocked a single to right that found runners on the corners with only one out. 

Garabedian stepped to the plate and got his second hit of the game to score Dupuis before Crawford matched him to score St. Claire. The score now sat at 5-3, but the Copperheads weren’t done just yet.

After a groundout, Spencer once again came to the plate with two outs and one-upped his previous plate appearance, this time knocking in a single that scored both runners and tied the game at five runs apiece.

Southern Ohio threatened to keep the good vibes going in the sixth, but third time was not the charm for Spencer as he was struck out with the bases loaded to end the inning.

After a scoreless seventh inning from both teams that kept the game tied at 5-5, the teams found themselves headed into extra innings.

Per the GLSCL rules, the teams were set to play one regular inning before the teams would head into a sudden death period to determine the winner of the game.

The Copperheads decided they didn’t want to play the sudden death period.

Licking County got two runners on with only one out before Dylan Hoerner (Edison State College) notched a strike out and induced a ground ball putout to end the inning and bring the Cheads bats back to the plate.

Dupuis immediately led off with a walk to give Southern Ohio a baserunner with no outs. St. Claire then attempted to bunt, but accidentally popped it up for an out. However, a poor throw from the Settlers pitcher to try and double Dupuis off at first ended up allowing him to advance all the way to third base.

With the winning run sitting on third with only one out, the Copperheads could almost taste the win. Garabedian struck out before Crawford was hit by a pitch and Keaton Ference (Seminole State College) drew a walk to find the bases loaded.

In almost storybook fashion, it was Bobby Spencer with the bases and two outs once again. In just one pitch, the ball caught Spencer’s body and he was awarded his base, bringing Dupuis home for a walk-off Copperhead victory.

Hoerner was very impressive for the Cheads, coming in and pitching a scoreless three-inning effort as he helped give Southern Ohio the chance to win it in extras. The 6-foot-1 right hander only gave up two Licking County hits, essentially wiping out their offense in crunch time.

Winning in extras was the cherry on top for Southern Ohio, who notched their second victory of the day and their third of the season as they swept the doubleheader. They now sit at 3-4 and are right in the thick of things in the GLSCL South Division, while the loss knocks Licking County down to 1-8 overall.

The Copperheads surely will celebrate the two victories, but will find themselves right back in game mode as they travel to Sports Force Park to take on the Sandusky Ice Haulers on Saturday, June 17.

That game marks the beginning of a four-game road trip for the Cheads. First pitch for that game in Sandusky is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.