By Eli Halverson | July 4, 2025

Coming off a three-game series sweep over the Grand Lake Mariners, the Joes were back in action at Foundation Field on the Fourth of July for a divisional clash with the Southern Ohio Copperheads.

While Hamilton is typically the team striking first, the Copperheads came out hot on Friday night—helped in large part by a few errors from the Joes.  After several relatively clean defensive games during their win streak, things unraveled quickly with Charlie Dieruf on the mound. Three errors in the first inning, combined with a single and a walk, allowed four runs to score—only one of them earned—and set the tone for the rest of the game.  

Southern Ohio tacked on another run in the third following the Joes’ fourth error of the night and an RBI single. Things didn’t improve in the fourth, either, as three consecutive walks (including one intentional) led to a two-run single that stretched the lead to 7-0.

It just wasn’t Hamilton’s night. Copperheads starter Luke Bryant was sharp, tossing six innings while giving up just one run on two hits and striking out six. The Joes' bats were quiet throughout the evening, with the only scoring chance coming in the sixth when they managed a couple of hits and drew an RBI walk from Miguel Correa.

The Copperheads capped off their dominant performance in the ninth with an RBI triple followed by a single to plate their 11th run of the night, putting the game well out of reach.

While the 11-1 loss is a tough one, the Joes are still positioned well to make a playoff push as the second half of the season continues. They’ll have an immediate chance to bounce back Saturday night at Foundation Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.