The Southern Ohio Copperheads stormed back Saturday night with a commanding 17-7 win over the Xenia Scouts at Bob Wren Stadium, tying the weekend series at 1-1.

Pitcher Declan Spinner opened on the mound and got quick support from his infield, including a first-inning double play and a strikeout that kept the Scouts scoreless early. Southern Ohio got on the board right away, with Jackson Kale’s double followed by a Ronnie Rowley RBI double for a 1-0 lead.

Xenia responded in the second, tying the game 1-1, but the Copperheads regained the lead thanks to a two-run single from Haruta Endo in the bottom half. Southern Ohio’s early defensive rhythm stuttered slightly in the third inning as Xenia rallied for five runs, including a bases-loaded double from Carter Jackman and a two-run hit from Noah Manasan, giving the Scouts a 6-3 lead.

The momentum swung again in the fourth. A string of hits, walks, and aggressive base running led to a five-run inning for the Copperheads. Highlights included a bases-loaded walk by Kale, a sacrifice fly from Rowley, a clutch RBI single from Will Heisler, and a two-run double blasted into right field by Derek Occhipinti. By the end of the inning, Southern Ohio was back on top, 8-7.

After a scoreless fifth inning for Xenia, the Copperheads added another run when Endo stole his way around the bases and took home on an error. Then came the sixth inning, which saw Southern Ohio completely take control of the scoreboard. With the bases loaded and no outs, Jack Ferguson hit a triple to bring in two runs, followed by another run on a wild pitch. More defensive missteps from the Scouts and disciplined plate appearances from the Copperheads extended the inning and the lead, which swelled to 16-7 in the Copperheads’ favor by the end of the frame.

Pitchers Jack Leonard and Reon Iwase held Xenia scoreless through the seventh and eighth innings, and in the bottom of the eighth, an explosive triple from Rowley brought Billy Adams home to seal the win via run rule.

The Copperheads now stand 1-1 on the season and will travel to Xenia on Sunday, June 8 to close out the series, with first pitch scheduled for 5:05 p.m. at Grady’s Field.

By: Maggie Malone