Five-Run Seventh Sends Scouts Past Copperheads

XENIA, Ohio – A five-run seventh inning broke open a tight game Thursday night as the Xenia Scouts defeated the Southern Ohio Copperheads 9-4 at Grady's Field.

Locked in a 3-3 game through six innings, the Scouts capitalized on timely hitting and patient at-bats to score five times in the seventh and take control.

Southern Ohio grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the first, but Xenia answered with two runs in the bottom half. Mayo Fernandez drove in the first run after reaching on an error before Cole Rohlmeier tied the game with an RBI single.

The Scouts took a 3-2 lead in the third when Owen Roether drove home Bo Solley, but the Copperheads evened the score in the fourth.

Xenia broke the tie for good in the seventh. Steven Schneider was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in the go-ahead run before Solley lined a two-run single to center. Roether followed with an RBI single, and another run crossed during a double play to cap the five-run inning.

Solley led the offense by scoring three runs while collecting two hits and driving in two. Roether finished with a hit and two RBIs, while Mack Skeels added an RBI single in the eighth to provide insurance. Schneider, Rohlmeier and Fernandez each drove in a run, and the Scouts stole seven bases in the victory.

JT McLaughlin worked six innings, allowing three runs, only one earned, while striking out four. Ryan Redding earned the win with three innings of relief, allowing one run while closing out the final nine outs.

The Scouts play the Copperheads once again in Southern Ohio as they draw near to the end of the season.