Copperheads fall late in low-scoring affair with Hamilton

You can’t play baseball forever, you might as well enjoy it while you can.

Kicking off the final regular season series of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League campaign, Southern Ohio went down to the wire with the league’s best squad but ultimately couldn’t do enough with a 3-2 loss to Hamilton at home on Monday night.

The Copperheads had a bit of a rough night overall at the plate, grabbing a pair of runs on just five hits. One of the team’s GLSCL All-Star representatives, Alex Ungar continued his torrent stretch with a 2-5 day at the plate, scoring a run in the loss. Pauly Mancino had a hit and the team’s lone RBI while Trenton Neuer and Aiden Dunlap grabbed the squad’s only other hits.

On the mound, Ben Bates had an impressive outing in his final outing of the summer despite the final tally on the scoreboard. The righty lasted seven innings, allowing one run on six hits while striking out nine and walking two. Ethan Stewart allowed two runs in an inning of work out of the bullpen before Drew Boyle tossed a scoreless ninth.

After Bates faced the minimum in the top of the first, Southern Ohio showed no rust following the week-long break by scratching out an early run in the opening frame.

Hunter Strong drew a walk to move a runner in scoring position with two outs just before Mancino squeaked a single through the right side of the infield, scoring Ungar to take an initial lead less than six outs into the night.

Bates seemingly had his arsenal of pitches working throughout the night, exemplified by the nine strikeouts. Still though, not every throw can be perfect. The righty started off the second inning by allowing a walk seconds before a wild pitch put the leadoff runner in scoring position.

The runner reached third on a passed ball just before a fielder’s choice groundout allowed the tying run to come home and score without a single hit in the half-inning from the Joes.

The Copperheads next found an opportunity to strike in the bottom of the fourth with the game still tied at one apiece at that point. An error from Hamilton’s third baseman on a ground ball off the bat of Gavyn Smith put runners on the corners before a hit by pitch loaded the bases up with just one out.

The next two ‘Cheads went down in order to end the opportunity, keeping the game at a 1-1 draw.

While Southern Ohio continued to struggle to string together some offense, Bates continued to keep Hamilton at bay. After allowing the second inning score, the righty got out of multiple innings with runners in scoring position to keep the Joes scoreless for the time being.

With opportunity after opportunity consistently sitting in front of them, the Copperheads couldn’t seem to cash in despite the game still being tied into the late stages of the night. Southern Ohio ended up getting runners in scoring position in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings but failed to come through in each frame.

Giving the league’s best team the opportunity to take control of the contest, Hamilton finally broke through in the top of the eighth to take a two-run advantage. Just two batters into the frame, Cam Gilkerson drilled a two-run shot to break the tie and give the Joes a 3-1 lead with time running out for the Copperheads.

Responding admirably, Southern Ohio bit back immediately by cutting the lead in half in the bottom of the eighth with a little help from the Joes’ defense. Following a pair of walks to get runners on base, an error from Hamilton’s catcher allowed Dunlap to come in and make it a 3-2 game. Billy Adams then flew out to center field to end the chance.

Desperately looking for anything heading into the ninth, the Copperheads went down in order in the final frame to ultimately drop the series opener.