Scouts Cut Eight-Run Deficit to Two Against Flag City

XENIA, Ohio – The Xenia Scouts mounted a spirited comeback Tuesday night, trimming an eight-run deficit to two before falling 9-7 to the Flag City Sluggers at Grady's Field.

After trailing 9-1 through five innings, the Scouts rallied with six unanswered runs over the final five innings but were unable to complete the comeback.

Flag City struck first with a run in the opening inning before breaking the game open in the third. The Sluggers plated six runs in the inning, highlighted by a three-run home run to build a 7-0 advantage. They added two more runs in the fifth to extend the lead to 9-1.

Xenia answered in the bottom of the fifth with a four-run inning. Mayo Fernandez delivered a two-run double before Ethan Papalios followed with an RBI single, helping the Scouts cut the deficit to 9-5.

The Scouts continued to apply pressure late. Zachary Pearrow drove home a run with an RBI single in the eighth before Owen Roether added another RBI knock to bring Xenia within 9-7. The Scouts put together 13 hits on the evening but were unable to push across the tying runs.

Fernandez led the offense with two hits, two RBI and two runs scored, while Papalios finished 3-for-4 with an RBI. Pearrow and Roether each recorded two hits and drove in a run, and Cooper Schutte added a pair of hits. Gabe Mathison scored twice in the contest.

On the mound, Caleb Shreve and Adam Laski combined for 4.1 scoreless innings of relief after the fifth inning, allowing just one hit while striking out four to give the Scouts an opportunity to rally.

The Scouts face the Sluggars again on Wednesday night.