Late Rally Falls Short Against Monarchs

HILLSDALE, Michigan – The Xenia Scouts battled back to within one run in the seventh inning Sunday afternoon, but the Michigan Monarchs answered immediately to secure a 6-4 victory at Hill Stadium.

Trailing 4-1 entering the seventh, the Scouts put together a three-run rally before Michigan responded with insurance runs in the final two innings to take the series finale.

Xenia struck first in the second inning when Drew Snipes lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, allowing Mayo Fernandez to score the game's opening run.

The Monarchs answered with a run in the bottom of the second before taking control in the fourth.

The Scouts mounted their comeback in the seventh. Snipes drove in Cayden Calloway with an RBI single before aggressive baserunning helped trim the deficit further. Steven Schneider stole second and advanced to third before Snipes scored on a throwing error, and Schneider later crossed the plate on a wild pitch to make it a 4-3 game.

Michigan responded in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI double before adding another run in the eighth to regain control.

Snipes led the Scouts offensively with two RBI, while Steven Schneider collected two hits and stole his fourth base of the season. Gabe Mathison added two hits, and Cayden Calloway doubled and scored during Xenia's seventh-inning rally.

On the mound, Will Johnson opened with two solid innings before Ryan Redding and Adam Pitts combined to keep the Scouts within striking distance through six. Mack Skeels was charged with the loss after allowing two runs in 1.2 innings of relief.

The Scouts return home to face the Flag City Sluggars on Tuesday.