MUSKEGON — As Copperheads’ relief pitcher Clay Clatterbaugh best described it nearly a month back, the ‘Cheads are hot.
Continuing to tear the cover off the ball in recent weeks, Southern Ohio racked up another dozen hits as a team in Saturday’s 16-6 stomping of Muskegon to clinch the weekend series victory. The Copperheads scored 14 of its runs over the final three innings in what technically could be considered a comeback win for Southern Ohio on the road.
As you’d want to happen, the top of the lineup completely kickstarted the ‘Cheads offense. Batting 1-3 in the order, Charlie Longmeier, Billy Adams and Alex Ungar all had two hit days to guide the effort. Longmeier and Adams each smacked a team-high four RBIs while also scoring a pair of runs. Alejandro Covas also racked up a pair of hits, driving in a run and scoring two himself in the process.
Gavyn Smith racked up three RBIs on a hit, reaching base three times on the night. Ben Clark had a hit and two RBIs while Case Sullivan had a hit, an RBI and two runs scored out of the nine spot. Michael Budorick also got a hit and scored three times in the win.
On the mound, Eli Laurent had a highly effective day for Southern Ohio despite his final stat line telling a slightly different story. The righty tossed five innings of scoreless ball to begin the night before ultimately falling into some trouble in the sixth before being taken out. Ultimately, Laurent allowed four hits and three runs, striking out six while walking four.
Adam Wandzel tossed the final four innings in relief, allowing three hits and runs before eventually closing things out.
Despite a total of 22 runs being scored in the contest, it was a bit of a slog through the first third of the night. With both teams combining for just one hit and the ‘Cheads lineup being sent down in order over the first three innings, it was a bit of a boring one with the score deadlocked at zero.
That would change in the fourth, but just not in the most exciting way.
Eventually loading the bases up with two outs, Smith brought in the first run of the night by drawing a walk to have Adams score from third. One inning later Adams was in the middle of action again, this time driving in Budorick with an RBI single to right field to make it a 2-0 game midway through.
Going dormant for most of the night, Muskegon’s offense suddenly found some new life shortly after. Smacking four hits in the sixth and taking advantage of some sloppy defense from Southern Ohio, the Clippers scored four runs to take a 4-2 lead in the blink of an eye with the ‘Cheads now forced to play from behind.
The worries for Southern Ohio didn’t last too long though, not even one inning. Grabbing five hits, taking advantage of an error and sending 12 hitters up to bat in the seventh, the Copperheads exploded for eight runs in the frame to immediately take full control of this one.
The first three batters of the frame all walked to load the bases up before Longmeier drilled a two-run double to center field to tie things up. One batter later, Adams smacked a two-run double of his own, this one to right field as the Copperheads suddenly regained the lead without ever recording an out.
Just a few batters later, Covas drilled the third run-scoring double of the frame to tack on to the lead just before a two-run double from Smith capped off the wild frame, making it a 10-4 game midway through the seventh.
Not necessarily needing it but certainly taking advantage of the chances, Southern Ohio poured on another six runs in the final frame to completely blow this one out of the water.
RBI singles from Clark and Sullivan got the festivities started in the ninth just before Longmeier drilled his second two-run double in three innings. He later came around to score the final run on an error from the Clippers’ defense to make it a 16-5 game at the time.
Muskegon got one back in the bottom of the ninth but it hardly mattered at all as the ‘Cheads walked away with a convincing victory to take the first two of the weekend set and secure the series on the road.
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