Copperheads fall to Cincinnati 4-2 in GLSCL title
game
By Brian Boesch
Southern Ohio came up one win short of their first ever GLSCL championship, falling 4-2 to the Cincinnati Steam Friday night at the AIA Sports Complex in Xenia. The Copperheads finish the season as the runner-up for the first time in their eight-year existence.
Cincinnati has now won back-to-back championships in just four years in the league. The club is the first team to win two consecutive titles since Northern Ohio won three straight from 2000 to 2002.
ÒOur guys played their hearts out like they have all year,Ó Florak said. ÒIn the short term itÕs gonna hurt a little bit, but in the long term we will remember this as a successful season, and weÕre very proud of the young men that represented the CopperheadsÕ organization this year.Ó
The Steam gift-wrapped an opportunity for the Copperheads to mount a ninth-inning comeback with Cincinnati leading 4-1. Michael Schum, a second-team all-GLSCL reliever who had seven saves during the regular season, was on the mound. Back-to-back errors put runners at first and second for the Snakes.
With two outs and runners at the corners, the CopperheadsÕ best hitter during the regular season, Jerod Yakubik, had a chance to tie the game. He did not do that, but he did keep the game alive by notching an RBI infield single.
Justin Marrero tried to continue the inning and smashed one to third, but Travis Shaw made a dazzling play to seal the title for the Steam.
ÒI thought that was gonna get through,Ó Marrero said about the final out. ÒWhen I saw the ball go in his glove, it was just a heartbreaker. It was a nice play by him, and it was just a heartbreaker to end the season like that.Ó
With their top four starters unavailable, Southern Ohio turned to Andy Onak. The southpaw went three innings and walked in a run to make it 1-0 Steam in the third.
ÒGrowing up, you always want to be in those championshipÉgames,Ó Onak said. ÒYou gotta battle every pitchÉIt was just one of those days you have to grind it out.Ó
Nick Egan threw the next three innings and allowed the SteamÕs second run, which came in the sixth inning. The Steam tacked on one more in the seventh inning.
The Copperheads scored on a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning by Jeff May, but they stranded two men in the frame.
On the day, the Copperheads left 10 men on the base paths. Southern Ohio did not score from the third inning of the afternoon contest against Grand Lake until the eighth inning of the championship game.
ÒItÕs baseball. Sometimes you strand runners, and other nights we were able to get them in,Ó Florak said. ÒTonight was just CincinnatiÕs night.Ó
The Copperheads could not figure out the Steam all season long. In five games, the Steam outscored the Snakes 33-12 and took all five contests.
Despite the tough ending, it was a historic year for the Green and Gold. Due to an 18-16 regular season record, Southern Ohio made it to the GLSCL playoffs for the fourth time in eight seasons. The Copperheads made their first ever title game. And the support continued to rise, as the attendance mark at Bob Wren Stadium increased again this year.
ÒIÕm very proud of our guys and the way they fought all year for us,Ó Florak said. ÒWe had a roster full of great players who were just really good and unselfish people that represented the organization and the city of Athens in a positive fashion.Ó
ÒIt was a great season,Ó Marrero said. ÒToward the end of the season, we started getting into a groove. The hitting came around, and we played some great baseball. We came here as kind of an underdog, and we proved everyone wrong.Ó
Southern OhioÕs eighth season is done. The Copperheads will be back for another summer of fun in 2010 at Bob Wren Stadium and all across the GLSCL.
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