PHOTOS BY DOMININC CARPENTER
 

After starting pitcher Anderson Hayes blanked the Southern Ohio Copperheads in the top of the first it was a chance for the Locos to perform offensively, and they wouldn't look back from that moment on. 

Reese Borho would lead the game off with a sharply hit ball to second base and reached because of an error followed by a Charlie Vercruysse walk putting runners on first and second. On the second pitch of the at bat Braydon Kersey would deliver and crush his fourth homerun of the year to put the Locos up 3-0. Matt Rose was hit by a pitch and Cole Crafton wanted to join the homerun party, scoring two runs and making it 5-0 Locos with no one out. Grant McGuire would double but after nine batters in the inning would be stranded keeping the Locos lead at 5-0 after one.

In the second Anderson Hayes would pick up his first strikeout and put the Copperheads down 1-2-3. This would be the fourth time in an eventual 11.1 innings of work on the season he produced a 1-2-3 inning. The Locos bats wouldn't cool down in the second with an opening single from Borho and a fielder's choice from Vercruysse put a runner on first with one out. Braydon Kersey would deliver his second hit of the day putting runners in scoring position. Cole Crafton would deliver big with a 2 RBI single into shallow right and put the Locos up 7-0 after the second. 

To open the third Frankie Clark would get on via a single and a fielder's choice that went wrong resulted in runners on first and second with no outs. After a strikeout from Anderson Hayes and a flyout it looked like the Locos might escape with no runs coming around to score but an error in left field on a ball deflected off of Reese Borho's glove two runs would score. The Locos would put a pair of runners on but they would be left there so after 3 inningins it was 7-2 Locos advantage.

Three well placed singles in the third would score one run in the fourth for the Copperheads and after the top of the fourth inning Anderson Hayes would be replaced. Hayes pitched 4 innings, allowed four hits, three strikeouts, one walk, and three runs (one earned). Locos would go 1-2-3 and the score would remain 7-3.

Anthony Lariz would enter the game and although there was a leadoff single, a caught stealing would allow for Lariz to put down the Copperheads 1-2-3. Southern Ohio would only get five baserunners on from innings 4-8 stranding three and scoring none of them. The bottom of the fifth ended the Locos scoring drought where a leadoff hit by pitch would be followed by David Falloon's second homerun of the year put the Locos up 9-3 where it would remain for one inning.

The sixth inning for the Locos would see back to back homeruns in just seven pitches Braydon Kersey collected his 5th of the season and Matt Rose got the ultimate extra base hit for is first one of the season. These were homeruns four and five of the game, the most since opening day when the Locos had three vs. Muskegon (Kersey, Bradfield, and Falloon). A Cole Crafton walk and single from Evan Holstein put runners on the corners allowing Grant McGuire to grab an RBI on a sac fly to center. This would be the last run scored by the Locos, putting them up 12-3.

Braydon Kersey would end his day 3-4 with two HR, a double and reached on an error and a walk. He recorded 4 RBIs over this time as well. Cole Crafton also had a great day going 2-4 with a homerun, single, and a walk.

The local Loco Billy Bourk would enter to close out the game for Lariz. The Copperheads wouldn't make it easy with a two out rally consisting of three walks and two singles scoring two runs. But with a groundout to Matt Rose to end the inning the Locos would pick up win number eight of the year and ending a five game losing streak.

The rubber match between the Locos (8-5) and Copperheads (6-8) will take place tonight (6/22) at 5:05 from Simmons Field. 

WP: Anthony Lariz (2-0) - 4.0 IP, 0R, 3H, 4K, 2BB, 1HBP

LP: Tanner O'Farrel (1-1) - 2.0 IP, 7R(6ER), 6H, 1K, 1BB, 1 HBP

SO 6R 9H 4E 10 LOB

LL 12R 11H 1E 8LOB

Article by Chase Dettrow