MUSKEGON — Like the sweltering summer months, Southern Ohio has had no interest in cooling off recently.
After bouncing back from a rough stretch with a series victory earlier in the week, the Copperheads went on a long road trip up to Michigan with hopes of continuing to turn around the season. At least through one night, it was mission accomplished for the ‘Cheads.
Traveling a long way for a late-night contest on Friday, Southern Ohio’s bats picked up late in the night to grab a 10-6 victory over Muskegon to kick off the series. Falling down as many as three runs, the ‘Cheads pulled out back-to-back four-run frames late in the contest to secure a lead and eventually hold on.
It was another double-digit hit effort for Southern Ohio, racking up 15 as a team. Pauly Mancino and Hunter Strong each picked up three-hit days to lead the way, driving in at least one run each. Alex Ungar picked up three RBIs and scored a pair of runs on two hits as he continued his scorching summer while Ben Clark and Case Sullivan also ended up with a pair of hits.
Billy Adams and Joey Canzoni each picked up a hit and an RBI, scoring multiple runs in the process while Aiden Dunlap had the only other hit.
On the mound, Tyler Pfirrmann got the nod to start, lasting just 4.2 innings while allowing eight hits and five earned runs, striking out six while walking three. Landon Oliver did a fantastic job settling things down out of the bullpen, throwing 2.1 innings of scoreless ball while striking out and walking three.
Normally fielders, Gavyn Smith and Trenton Neuer combined to toss the final two innings in their first pitching appearances of the summer. Smith struck out three while allowing one run in the eighth before Neuer tossed a hitless ninth to secure the win.
Despite how things ultimately turned out, it wasn’t an ideal start for the ‘Cheads out of the jump. Already having to deal with a road environment, things got worse quickly with Ashten Wong drilling a leadoff solo shot to immediately give the Clippers an early lead. The team eventually tacked one more on the board in the frame, taking a 2-0 lead after one inning of play.
Slowly but surely, Southern Ohio chipped away over the next two innings to eventually tie things up. The first came way of a bases-loaded walk drawn by Adams in the second before a fielder’s choice in the third allowed Canzoni to come home with the tying run.
Muskegon regained the lead in the fourth on an RBI single from Cole Mason before a solo shot from Cooper Hums followed by a wild pitch score in the fifth gave the Clippers some breathing room with now a 5-2 lead heading into the sixth.
Looking to make a statement, it took Southern Ohio hardly any time to completely erase the deficit. Following Neuer and Adams reaching base at the top of the lineup to start the sixth, Ungar smacked a massive three-run shot to suddenly tie things up in the blink of an eye. Two batters later, the ‘Cheads stole their first lead of the night when Strong singled in Canzoni to make it a 6-5 game.
After holding Muskegon scoreless despite an opportunity to strike in the bottom of the frame, Southern Ohio completely blew this one out of the water with yet another four-run frame in the seventh.
With Adams and Ungar sitting on the bases, Canzoni ripped a two-run double to left field to create even more breathing room for the ‘Cheads. Two batters later, Mancino drilled a two-out, two-run single into center field to give the Copperheads 10 runs on the night.
The combination of bullpen arms held the Clippers to just one run over the final three innings, securing a massively important series-opening victory a far way away from Athens.
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