Sports

Copperheads Split Double-Header with Monarchs

Posted on: Thursday, July 23, 2015

By Jack Hurley – Copperheads Staff Writer

ATHENS, Ohio – The Southern Ohio Copperheads, presented by Ohio Health O’Bleness Hospital, split a double-header with the Lake Erie Monarchs, the team’s sixth this season. Southern Ohio won the first game 5-2 and lost the second 8-7.

The respective starting pitchers in Game Two were Greg Jacknewitz out of Xavier for the Copperheads (20-15) and Oliver Jaskie out of Michigan for the Monarchs (19-14). Jacknewitz went five innings giving up 10 hits with two earned runs and four strikeouts while Jaskie went six innings giving up12 hits with five earned runs and six strikeouts.

The scoring was opened up in the top of the second after a throwing error on Southern Ohio catcher Will Salter. The Monarchs tacked on more runs after a two RBI single by Dan Chmielewski, and another RBI single by Taylor Grzelakowski. The Monarchs added their fifth run of the game with yet another RBI single by Ross Haffey. The Monarchs scored all five of their runs with two outs in the inning.

Teddy “Ballgame” Williams responded with a double to put the Copperheads in scoring position in the bottom of the second. The extra-base hit was the infielder from Millersville’s first of the season. The big first baseman from Stetson University, Charlie Watters, then mashed a two-run double to cut into the Monarchs lead 5-2. The Copperheads would leave the bases loaded in the inning, but they had cut into the lead.

In the third, Williams got his second extra base hit of the game and the season, scoring Osborne from second to make the score 5-3. Stephan Hernon would then tie the game at 5-5 with a double.

“I was going out there to try and drive the ball and hit it where it was pitched,” Williams said.

“I haven’t had the power swing that I have had in previous summers but baseball is a funny game and sometimes things work out for the best.”

After the Monarchs retook an 8-5 lead, Joe Becht smacked a run two single to cut the lead to one, making it 8-7.

Brandon Bonar out of Shawnee State University came in a pitched four innings of one run baseball in his Copperheads debut, striking out five and allowing no earned runs.

The Copperheads tried to make a late comeback after Charlie Watters reached first base but Tyler Pagano lined out into a spectacular double play by the Lake Erie pitcher to end the game.

The Copperheads opened up the evening in a much more positive way by winning Game One by a score of 5-2. Jake Roehn out of Ohio University made his debut for the Copperheads and started out strong, striking out the first two batters he faced and retiring the third on a fly out.

Lake Erie countered with Robert Zenas, the Ann Arbor native who pitches for Bowling Green State University. Roehn went five innings giving up six hits with just one earned run and five strikeouts. Zenas went six innings with seven hits, three earned runs, and three strikeouts.

Conner Callery ripped a two-run single in the first inning to make the score 2-0 in favor of the Copperheads.

The Monarchs answered in the second, scoring a run off of a JR Reimer RBI double and later tie the game at 2-2.

A Joe Becht sac fly scored Charlie Watters in the fifth inning and the Copperheads found themselves up 3-2. Later that inning, Callery, a GLSCL All-Star bagged himself another two RBI single making the score 5-2 in favor of the home team.

Christian Botter came in for the six-out save in the top of the sixth inning to give the Copperheads the 5-2 win. This win was the fourth in the row by the Copperheads after three straight on the road.

“I think as a team we really trust each other and the coaches philosophy,” Williams said. “We are here for the long haul and we are here to win and I think we have found a formula that works.”

Head Coach Jonathan Nichols agreed with his infielder.

“Offensively we did some good things in that second game there were points that we need to take advantage of like we did in the first,” Nichols said.

“Pitching wise, there are a lot of positives to take out of the game. You got Jake Roehn coming in and pitching well in his debut and Brandon Bonar coming in and throwing well is a real big advantage for us coming down the stretch.”

Coach Nichols was very impressed with Williams among others on the night,

“With losing guys like Wruble and Rippee (from the roster), you need guys stepping up and providing hits and Teddy as done that all summer.”

Southern Ohio is back out at Bob Wren Stadium on Thursday at 7:30pm taking on the Northern Ohio Baseball Club in the GLSCL’s version of the “Civil War.”

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Copperheads '15