The Southern Ohio Copperheads delivered a dominating performance Saturday night at Bob Wren Stadium, shutting out the Grand Lake Mariners 15-0 with a seven-inning run-rule win. Consistent pitching and smart base running gave the Copperheads control of the game from the first pitch to the final out.

Pitcher Tanner O’Farrell started strong on the mound, retiring the Mariners with little pushback across five scoreless innings. He put away multiple strikeouts and kept Grand Lake's offense off balance.

In the bottom of the first, the Copperheads wasted no time jumping on Mariners starting pitcher Nathaniel Miller. After a single from Will Heisler and a walk from Jack Ferguson, a balk advanced both runners to third and second base, respectively. Ronnie Rowley took advantage with a triple to the back fence, bringing in two runs. Nic Lembo followed with an RBI single to give the Copperheads an early 3-0 lead.

Southern Ohio’s offense kept the pressure on in the second. After a walk and a double, the Copperheads capitalized on a wild pitch to steal home and push their lead to 5-0.

The fifth inning was the beginning of the end for Grand Lake. Tylan Graves, Nic Lembo, and Brendan Willadsen strung together base hits, and the batters that followed refused to let up. A combination of singles, walks, and wild pitches led to a ten-run inning, with nearly the entire lineup reaching base. Haruta Endo, Rowley, and Graves all notched RBIs, propelling the score to 15-0.

Reliever Reon Iwase took the mound for the final two innings, keeping the shutout intact with help from solid infield defense. The run rule went into effect after the top of the seventh with no runs from the Mariners, ending the game on a high note for Southern Ohio.

With the win, the Copperheads now stand 5-3 on the season. The team will return to Bob Wren Stadium Tuesday, June 17 at 7:05 p.m. to take on the Muskegon Clippers.

By: Maggie Malone