Just like that, the Southern Ohio Copperheads’ 25th season has come to a close.
After a whirlwind 51 days that included 40 games, dozens of community events and countless amounts of summer fun, the organization finished its anniversary campaign with back-to-back home games over the weekend against the Xenia Scouts.
While the on-field results weren’t what both fans and the organization were hoping for this summer, they still closed out the season with some fireworks. Both literally and figuratively.
Southern Ohio (8-32) split its final two games of the season against the Scouts (12-29), picking up an impressive 3-1 win in front of a rowdy Friday night crowd, before a much quieter 8-2 defeat the very next day in the season’s true finale.
While Saturday’s six-run defeat was a result more in line with what the team has experienced, Friday’s was much more befitting of what the organization is all about.
Friday’s victory was a picture-perfect example of the organization’s relationship with the local community, with packed stands, loud, rowdy fans and a postgame fireworks show, all culminating in an unforgettable night at the ballpark.
“It’s really, really big,” Southern Ohio head coach Rocky Brunty said of the fan support after Friday’s win. “It’s really important, not only because of the fun but because I think it jacks these guys up, gives them a sense of ‘wow,’ and to step it up for these fans.”
Copperhead fans brought the momentum on Friday, and the players repaid them with a back-and-forth battle that saw them emerge victorious for just the eighth time this season.
While there wasn’t a lot of offense for the fans in attendance, they were treated to an intriguing pitching duel between Southern Ohio’s Jacob Napier and Xenia’s Trey Tipton.
Both players would hold the opposition scoreless through the first four innings, but Napier would win the day after some timely hitting from his teammates helped him recover from going 1-0 down in the top of the fifth.
The right-hander would go seven innings, picking up the win as he allowed just four hits while striking out eight batters. His one run allowed would go as unearned, completing a fantastic final outing for the starter.
“Jacob pitched out of two or three jams,” Brunty remarked, shaking his head and laughing after the game. “That shows you what kind of pitcher he is. He’s just a bulldog.”
That terrific performance on the mound would be supplemented by a three-run burst in the sixth, led by an up-and-down at-bat from Cal Leighton, whose two-run single pushed the ‘Cheads into a lead they would never surrender.
Leighton’s clutch hit would be Southern Ohio’s fourth and final of the night, but it would be all they would need to secure the win.
“That was really just a big at-bat. He had already fouled two or three off,” Brunty explained. “He hit a really bad pitch. It was way low, but Cal really battled and put it in a hole there for a hit. With two strikes, that’s what you have to do. He did his job.”
Brady Kaufman would score just one at-bat later, with a passed ball allowing him to score the third and final run, giving the hosts some extra insurance.
His two hits would lead the day, joining Leighton and Landon Baker, who reached on a single in the team’s opening at-bat. Zach Reeder and Fox Spears would join Kaufman in scoring.
The pressure would then be shifted to the Southern Ohio bullpen, which had crumbled in a 9-4 loss the previous night after Jack Bracken’s 15-strikeout start.
But determined to back up yet another strong starting performance, Dylan Klein and Jacob Ruiz combined for a dominant final two frames, allowing just one hit and one walk between the two as they closed out the win.
“We’re just now getting this pitching thing figured out,” Brunty said with a laugh. “Tonight, it was the way it was supposed to be. Dylan came in, got his inning. Ruiz came in and finished it. That’s how it’s supposed to be done.”
Friday’s performance gave Southern Ohio fans one final victory in a summer where they’ve been few and far between. But even through the tough times, Copperhead fans show up and show out.
As a celebration for another incredible summer, the fans at Bob Wren Stadium were treated to a fifth and final fireworks show, serving as a fantastic send-off for the team’s 25th season.
It fit nicely with the team’s final win.
“You always want to finish on a positive note,” the head coach explained. “They knew what they needed to do, and we came out and did that today.”
While the organization’s postseason drought continues, Southern Ohio’s main summer attraction will be back for its 26th season in a year for another fun summer at the ballpark.