Where's the O?

The offense has been struggling all season long. Obviously, switching from aluminum to wooden (OK, OK, composite) bats is a struggle. The team is hitting .202 (69-for-341). After game one of the doubleheader against Hamilton, the average was below .200, at .196. 

Some other notable numbers and notes as the Green and Gold get ready for game 12 against Xenia tonight:

• Only one Copperheads (Jerod Yakubik, .333) is hitting above .257.
• Only two players (Yakubik, 8, and Thoma, 6) have more than four runs batted in, and Thoma has not played much after a hot start. 
• Through 11 games, the squad has only attempted 14 stolen bases, successfully swiping 10 of them. 
• And the team just got its first home run of the year yesterday, a solo blast by Sam Mahoney when it was 8-0 Joes. 
• Add it all up, and there is really no threat facing opposing pitching on paper. Just make your pitches, and the Copperheads will go down...at least that's how it is now. 
• The new addition of Zach Botjer (P-Sinclair Community College) has worked wonders. In two appearances, Botjer has thrown four scoreless innings.
• The other recent addition, sophomore pitcher Andy Carter from Shawnee State, will start tonight for the Snakes against Xenia.
• Looking ahead on the schedule, after tonight's roadie against the Scouts, the Copperheads will make only one more road trip until July 17th (July 7, a doubleheader against Licking County). A nice little break for a team that has faced a very condensed, busy schedule through two weeks in 2009.
• Chuck Boring, the all-time saves leader in Copperheads' history for his work in 2007 and 2008, pitched just three times for the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown this past spring because of a bad lower back. He is hoping for a medical redshirt so that he can pitch his senior season in 2010.
• Xenia, the location of tonight's game, will host the GLSCL tournament for the second consecutive year. It is also the new home for the Sinclair Community College baseball program. According to Sinclair head coach Steve Dintaman, there will be a press box ready for the playoffs, which means Allie and I will be outside calling this one. Should be fun.

Tune in starting at 6:45 on copperheadbaseball.com. We will have the rewind from last night's split, the Mike Florak Show, and some comments from tonight's starter Andy Carter. E-mail in, as always, to media+pr@copperheadbaseball.com. Enjoy the game.

- Brian

Copperheads vs. Joes--Game 2

7:57...first pitch of game two from Andy Onak. Copperheads aiming to sweep after a 2-1 victory in game one.

8:03...Kyle Weldon a 2-run bomb to put the Joe's up 3-0. This is his second of the day.

8:10...5 run first inning for the Joes. An error by 3rd baseman Trent Moses allowed a run to score and advance 3 bases. A big hole to climb out of early in the ball game.

8:25...Joes add another run 6-0 going into the bottom of the second.

8:40...A scoreless third inning for the Joes is a start. Onak recorded three K's to keep the score 6-0.

8:54...Weldon is up with no outs and the bases loaded. Onak is still in the game.

9:00...Joes add another run to go up 8-0 over the Copperheads.

9:05...Zach Botjer comes into the game. The Sinclair Community College product made his debut yesterday striking out the side.

9:15...Sam Mahoney hits a solo home run to right field for the first homerun of the season for Southern Ohio. Snakes still down 8-1.

9:22...an error on Hamilton's first baseman leads to four runs for the Copperheads a Jerod Yakubik double now has Southern Ohio down only 4 at 8-4.

9:28... Copperheads rally on an error and wild pitch by the Hamilton Joes. Justin Marrero flied out to center field, but the damage was done Southern Ohio scores 5 runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull to within 3 at 8-5.

9:46... Copperheads hold the Joes scoreless without a run after having two on with no outs. Bottom 6 with another chance to cut into the lead.

9:52...Nothing going...Headed into the top of the 7th down 8-5.

10:06...Scoreless 7th inning for both teams. Gatrell replaces Botjer. Botjer has seen some quality playing time since making his debut yesterday though. Still 8-5 Joes in the top of the 8th.

10:38...Brad Krohman on to get the save for the Joes. Bottom 9 with Ryan Burnett up trying to start the comeback.

Hamilton Joes vs. Copperheads Doubleheader - Game 1

Justin Sampson here, back at Bob Wren for another Sunday afternoon double header between the Southern Ohio Copperheads (4-5) and the Hamilton Joes (3-8).  Sitting in ninth place in the league, the Joes are coming in fresh off a sweep of Stark County while the Copperheads split a double header with league-leading Grand Lake on Saturday.  Should be a good matchup and a great opportunity for the Copperheads to gain some momentum.  

• 4:30 - It's half dollar dog day at the ballpark, and we just overhead confirmation from Drake Bolon that the grill is being fired up.  The game can now begin.
• 5:30 - Matthew Robertson will be getting the start for Southern Ohio while Wesley Rehmert of Urbana University will go for the Joes.
• 5:43 - Tyler Schunk reaches on an error by Chad Geier, but the shortstop redeems himself by getting the inning-ending unassisted double play.  No damage done in the first.
• 5:55 - With two outs in the top of the first, the Copperheads are going to work.  Taylor Davis doubled to the right field wall to score Yakubik, followed by a Trent Moses double to left to score Davis.  Jake Plata flies out to left to end the first, but Southern Ohio draws first blood and holds a 2-0 lead.  
• 6:04 - Sullivan and Jones reach first & second with one out.  Sullivan is caught in a huge lead at second & is thrown out.  Tim Tepe flies out to dead center to end the inning.  Hamilton remains scoreless.  
• 6:11 - Hiscox's line drive kicks off the third baseman's glove to put him on first.  Marrero tries to bring him around but is robbed as left fielder Kyle Weldon makes the best diving catch at Bob Wren this season.  Fear strikes out and Burnett sends a dribbler up the third the third base line, but is just thrown out.  
• 6:18 - Haddad is walked on four straight balls and moves to second as first baseman Michael Fear decides to field a slow liner by Bauer that possibly could've gone foul.  No damage is done though as Tyler Schunk is thrown at at first to end the inning.  
• 6:23 - Geier flies out to center for out number one.  Yakubik strikes out and Davis flies out to first to finish off this frame.  Copperheads lead 2-0 after three in front of a solid crowd on a beautiful Sunday evening.
• 6:34 - First pitch of the fourth becomes a homer by Kyle Weldon.  Second round-tripper at Bob Wren this season.  Mathis walks on four straight balls, leading to a meeting on the mound.  The next two batters fly out, but Tepe is beaned to put men on first & second.  Haddad grounds out to first, inning is over.  Hamilton now trails by one.  Robertson looked a little rattled in that frame... his innings may be numbered.
• 6:44 - Moses & Plata go down to start the inning, but Hiscox walks to put one man on.  Pat Glass comes in to pinch run for the big man.  He never gets the chance, though, as Marrero flies out to center to leave him stranded.
• 6:50 - Quick inning for Robertson as it's three up, three down.  Good comeback inning for number number 30.
• 7:00 - Fear flies out on the first pitch of the bottom of the fifth.  Burnett goes down swinging for out number two.  Geier reaches on an error by Tepe & steals second easily as the catcher, Haddad, bobbles the pitch.  Yakubik walks to put two men on.  
• 7:08 - Robertson's day is done.  Now it's Brannon Belair's turn.  Weldon is out number one and, after a couple long meetings on the mound, Belair comes through in fine style to get the last two outs of the inning.  Not much offense for the Joes so far as they've registered only two hits on the day.  Solid job by the Copperheads pitching staff.
• 7:13 - Once again, first pitch of the inning is a fly-out to center.  Plata grounds out to second, bringing up the pinch hitter, Zach Thoma.  Not too effective as he striked out on three pitches.  One inning of work left for the Copperheads as they maintain their one run lead.
• 7:24 - Jordan Langley comes in to try and close out the game.  I'm seeing a trend here as the first pitch of the inning is once again a fly out, this time by Patrick Jones.  Colton Cattani comes in to pinch hit and gets a single after barely beating out a throw to first.  The tying run is on for Dustin Huff who strikes out for out number two.  Bauer goes down swinging for the final out of game number one.  Copperheads take game one 2-1. 

Southern Ohio has the momentum going into game two of tonight's doubleheader.  After a quick 30-minute break, Brad Zahar will be bringing you the updates as we find out if the Copperheads can make it a clean sweep.  You can also tune in to Power 105 to hear Brian Boesch and Allie LaForce bring you all the action.  

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Ah, the frustrations of rain delays and postponements. The game started 22 minutes late. The first three innings flew by. Then, the Settlers put the tarp on the field around 8 p.m. About 45 minutes later, the rain started. By 10 p.m., the game was finally called. It was an interesting day.

Here are some news and notes on tonight's "game" and other Copperheads' happenings:

• The game will be made up July 7 in Newark. The Copperheads and Settlers were already scheduled to play against each other on that day, so they will play a doubleheader. No word on the start time of the double dip.
• The three innings played Thursday are erased from the statistics. They, in essence, never happened. Thus, the Copperheads' three errors are no more. 
• The Copperheads hit in the batting cages around 3 p.m. today, awaiting a call from Licking County's skipper Kyle Sobecki. Sobecki gave the go-ahead on the game, and Southern Ohio left Athens around 4:30 p.m. The team arrived around 6:15 p.m., stretched, took some infield and got things going.
• The radar was pretty clear until 4:30, but with the humidity the storms developed and ultimately struck. Nothing you can do about it. The two teams had to give it a shot.
• Pitching coach Chris Moore was frustrated about the bad luck. With the schedule the way it is, David Starn, tonight's starting pitcher, probably will not get another start until July 5. After throwing three innings tonight, he is not eligible Saturday or Sunday. He may see some time Monday in a relief role against Xenia. Then, Wednesday's game against Stark County is Cameron Hobson's time in the rotation. Not the ideal situation for the Kent State freshman.
• As mentioned, the Copperheads committed three errors tonight, but none of those count anymore. As a result, the Snakes have not committed an error in their last three contests. Last year's team committed more than two per game. This season's roster defensively is light years ahead of the 2008 version.
• Thursday was pitcher Corey Harness' 21st birthday. He will start Saturday against Grand Lake.

The team will practice tomorrow before a big weekend against Grand Lake (currently 8-1) and Hamilton (currently 1-6). Two doubleheaders, with Saturday's game in Celina and Sunday's in Athens. 

As we have done during the last few broadcasts, we are offering an e-mail address to you, the fans, to join our broadcast. Simply e-mail Allie, Tony and I at media+pr@copperheadbaseball.com and tell us how we are doing. We will mention your message on the air. We don't bite, I promise.

- Brian

Copperheads vs. Scouts

Brad Zahar on hand for this beautiful Wednesday evening from Bob Wren Stadium in Athens, OH. A make-up game originally scheduled for last Friday, but rain kept them from playing. Cameron Hobson, the Freshman All-American, gets the nod tonight. A big night as the Copperheads look to recover after dropping both games Sunday against the Cincinnati Steam.

7:50...Hobson's control struggles early but no damage done. Two strikeouts and only allowed one hit. Geier set to lead off the inning.

8:00...Yakubik steals second after drawing a walk, but nothing going. No score after one.

8:17...Nothing going on offensively. Pitchers battle so far. Two hits for Xenia, none for Southern Ohio.

8:32...Jerod Yakubik a clutch 2 out RBI triple to give Southern Ohio the 1-0 lead after 3 innings. Closest to the pin contest between innings, people had to chip from the hill on the 3rd baseline to a pin just behind 3rd base. Two didn't make it over the left field foul wall while one landed just short of 3rd base.

8:53...Bryan Lucas goes deep to left field for solo shot tying the game at 1. That's his first home run of the year.

9:09...Adam Westbrook replaces Tyler Sanborn on the mound with 2 outs and Chad Geier on 3rd after tripling to right field. Copperheads rally a passed ball scores a run and the Copperheads are now on top 2-1 with 5 innings down.

9:20...Hobson out, Moffat in to pitch.

9:34...Fear an RBI single with two outs and Kyle Atkins is coming in to replace Adam Westbrook. Michael Jackson playing over the PA system...great night at the park with the Copperheads 3-1.

9:50...Scouts add one in the top of the 7th on a sacrifice bunt, the Copperheads still lead 3-2. going into the bottom of the seventh with Thoma to get things going in the bottom frame.

10:00...Copperheads put two on get them both in scoring position but cannot covert. Still a 3-2 lead for Southern Ohio with the top of the 8th approaching. Tyler Gatrell still in for the Snakes.

10:25...Jordan Langley in to close the game out. One down with one on in the top of the ninth.

The week that was

Well, a 2-4 start is not exactly what Southern Ohio wanted after a tough stretch to start the season. It is hard to believe that the team arrived just one week ago today, because there have already been so many switches and roster moves. A few more have been made, too.

Here is the "Copperheads' Catch-Up"

• First, the bad news. As discussed in the game recap by Brad Zahar, Tyler Koors did get hurt on his 70th pitch last night in game two against Cincinnati. Why is that pitch significant? Koors' pitch count was 70 for the night. After an initial look, Koors said that the elbow could require Tommy John surgery. At the very least, it is a 6-to-8 week recovery process. Thus, Koors turned in his gear today and is heading home as I type.
• Not only is this tough because Koors' is a likable product from Xavier, but it means one fewer arm for head coach Mike Florak and pitching coach Chris Moore to use. And Koors has a good arm. Here's hoping he will be OK.
• Koors is not the only arm the Snakes are losing. Anthony Sambula, who appeared in both games and threw two and a third innings and allowed five runs, has decided to leave the team. He wanted to go to the Coastal Plains League, but he already signed a contract with Southern Ohio and the Copperheads' policy is to refuse to release a player so that he can go to another team. So, Sambula's summer is over.
• Former Copperhead Matt Stiffler, an Ohio University alum, is no longer on the Reds' roster page for any of their affiliates. Stiffler, a Copperhead from 2006-08, hit .225 with one home run and 15 runs batted in for the Billings Mustangs in 2008.

As for the seven Copperheads drafted in 2009, six of them have been placed on a team:

• Marc Krauss- South Bend Silver Hawks (Midwest League), A-Affiliate of Arizona
• Jon Pokorny- Helena Brewers (Pioneer League), Rookie-Affiliate of Milwaukee
• Jake Goebbert- Tri-City ValleyCats (New York-Penn League), A-Affiliate of Houston
• Kevan Hess- Oneonta Tigers (New York-Penn League), A-Affiliate of Detroit
• Kevin Winn- Eugene Emeralds (Northwest League), A-Affiliate of San Diego
• Ben Watkins- Staten Island Yankees (New York-Penn League), A-Affiliate of New York Yankees

The only one who has not been placed on a roster is Ryan Robowski, who is in the Arizona organization.

On a light note, the Copperheads will have their annual "Swim with the Snakes" pool party from 9-11 p.m. tonight at the Athens City Pool on East State Street. Come on by and join the fun with the Copperheads and with Power 105.

No blog until Wednesday's live blog, when the Xenia Scouts come to town. Until then, I'm off to Pittsburgh to see the Indians-Pirates at PNC Park. 

- Brian

Copperheads v. Steam - Game 2

Southern Ohio will need a short memory after a 3-1 loss in game one.  We're wiping the slate clean after a 20 minute break...

• 8:21 - Steam go down 1-2-3 in the top of the 1st.  As solid a start as any for Tyler Koors.
• 8:39 - Both teams are scoreless after 2 innings.  Both pitchers looking strong.  On a side note, the sun's started to go down and so has the temperature FINALLY.
• 8:48 - Koors is able to strike out Travis Shaw with to men on to keep the game knotted at zero.  Hopefully the Copperheads' bats can heat up after scoring only one run on the day so far.
• 8:51 - Ryan Stausborger makes a great running catch to prevent a sure double bagger.  Marrero flies out and Thoma gets jammed & thrown out at first to end the third.  Not too much action early on in game two.  
• 8:57 - They sprung a new promotion on us: The Pepsi Chug Contest.  Oddly enough, the first installment of this historic event ended in a tie.  I wonder how they'll split the prize... anyway, Koors continues too look dominant as the Steam once again go 1-2-3.  Great start to a potentially great game for the right-hander. 
• 9:03 - It's 3 up, 3 down for Southern Ohio.  This pitching/defensive duel continues as neither hurler shows signs of slowing down as Ian Kadish has a perfect game going through 4.
• 9:18 - In one of the funnier moments at the stadium in this young season, one contestant almost takes out another as he falls while giving his all in the Dizzy Bat contest.  In a surprising move, Koors is taken out after walking a man with two out in the inning.  He's replaced by lefty Brannon Belair who beans the first batter,  Ryan Strausborger.  He gives up a 2-run double to Jon Edgington that goes just past third base to tally the first runs of the game.  Shaw grounds out to end the inning, but Cincinnati now holds a 2-0 lead.  Southern Ohio's bats have got to get off the ground.
• 9:26 - Kadish walks a man but keeps his no-hitter going through 5.  If he has the endurance, it could be a memorable night for the young man from Marshall.
• 9:44 - Kyle Bluestein walks to start the inning.  Cather Taylor Davis almost runs out of real estate but makes a solid catch right in front of the fans for out number one.  As expected, the fans are growing rowdier as they continue to disagree with the ump's calls.  Both runners advance to put men on second & third.  Cody Elliot walks to load the bases as Belair is pulled.  His replacement, Rob Moffat, gives up a 2-run single to left to give the Steam a 4-0 lead.  Ryan Bellamy is tagged out at first but brings another man home.  Soon after, Strausborger belts an RBI double up the third base line to make it 6-0.  The inning finally ends as Edgington flies out, but the Copperheads have dug themselves in a pretty sizable  hole for these last four innings.  
• 9: 52 - Southern Ohio goes 1-2-3 as Ian Kadish continues his no-hitter.  The bats continue to be as cold as the day was hot.  Or maybe it's just great pitching by Kadish, but either way the green & gold have still mustered only one run in both games.
• 10:00 - Anthony Sambula, a fresh face from Cleveland State, retires the first batter on three straight pitches.  However, he walks the second on four straight balls.  Two men reach base, but no damage is done.  Time to see if Kadish can continue his dominance.
• 10:10 - A shot up the middle almost gets past the second baseman, but it's snagged and Jake Plata is thrown out in time.  Yakubik flies out to left for out number two.  However, Taylor Davis sends a single past the second baseman to tally the first Copperhead hit of game two.  Sam Mahoney ground out to end the inning.  Kadish's no-no is gone, but an amazing game pitched so far.  There must be something about this team that attracts no-hitters, as the Copperheads flirted with one in last night's game. 
• 10:31 - The bases load and two more runs score before the first out is recorded.  Every bit of Southern Ohio's defense looks rattled as Cincinnati continues to pour on the offense, scoring 5 in this inning alone and now leading 11-0.  Elliot walks to load first base which was vacated on a failed pick-off attempt, but no more damage is done as the Copperheads are done getting roughed up for now.  
• 10:42 - Elliot makes a great diving catch to take away what would've been Southern Ohio's second hit of the night.  But Michael Fear quickly picks up that hit with a single to left.  He's followed by Pat Glass & Chad Geier to load the bases with two out.  Two singles finally put the Copperheads on the board as we go to the ninth with the score 11-2.  
• 10:48 - New pitcher Tyler Gatrell is able tally a scoreless final inning.  The men from Marshall are doing the Thundering Herd proud tonight.  
• 10:53 - Copperheads go 1-2-3 in the ninth to end the game with a final score of 11-2.  Disappointing night for Southern Ohio's offense.  

The Copperheads fall to 2-4 on the season, but return to action at Bob Wren Stadium Wednesday, June 24th for a make-up game against the Xenia Scouts.  First pitch is set for 7:30 p.m.  Tune into Power 105 for all the action!

Copperheads Tangle with Steam in Game One

5:05...Happy Father's Day to all of the dad's out there. Brad Zahar on hand blogging for game one, will be recapping game 2 for copperheadbaseball.com Teams are taking batting/fielding practice. Copperheads are taking on the defending Great Lakes League Champions. Should be a great game from Bob Wren Stadium on a very very hot Sunday afternoon.

5:40...Game underway. Decent crowd on hand. Very hot this afternoon although the sun should start setting with the next couple of hours cooling things down especially after we're done here in game one. Copperheads starter Andy Onak rolled through the top of the inning with a ground out a fly out and a strike-out to end the inning.

6:06...This blog post is looking like a Bill Simmons timeline story except the guy writing it has much less wit than "The Sports Guy." Anyway, top of the second saw the Steam roll in an RBI with a single. Southern Ohio rallying now though with two on and one out. Copperheads Head Coach Mike Florak now arguing a foul ball call that Brian Hiscox hit. Zach Thoma came through with an RBI single and runners were at the corners with 1 down, however a 6-4-3 double play ended the little rally for the Copperheads we're now locked 1-1 with 2 innings down.

6:26...Not much going on as far as the game goes. Some lucky fan just got a free 18 hole pass to Athens Country Club (I think, maybe OU Golf and Tennis) between the top of the 3rd and the bottom. One on with Taylor Davis up at the plate, 1 out. Press Box is an oven but a gentle breeze has just started blowing in here and keeping yours truly cool.

6:34...Just announced tomorrow is pool night with the Copperheads at the Athens pool. Swimming sounds awesome about now, not tomorrow night. Although the weather forecast so far according to weather. com (not me, so don't get upset if I'm not right) is clear until Thursday. So hopefully, it will be a nice week in the ATH to have some fun. Onak just walked Bobby Freking, with Cody Elliott just had an infield single while the Steam are trying to get some runs on the board. Onak has looked strong so far though working here in the top of the fourth.

6:57...been sometime since an update sorry about that. Steam up 2-1 top of the fifth. Onak is in. Thomas left the game after the third and was replaced by Brian Sand. Thomas is still DHing the game though.

7:08...At the end of the fifth Cincinnati leads 2-1 as the Copperheads have now stranded 6 runners on base through 5 innings. Have to get those runners home or start getting guys on with no or one out.

7:24...through six innings Southern Ohio still trails 2-1. Brian Sand has been terrific for the Steam as we head into the 7th and final inning of game one. Copperheads have stranded 6 baserunners and need a big 7th inning if they want to walk away with the victory in the first game of the double header.

7:41... Anthony Sambula makes his Copperhead debut replacing Nick Egan. Steam already added a run to go up 3-1. Michael Schum came in for the save and delivered sending the Copperheads to 2-3 and improving the Steam to .500.

News and Notes...Additions and Subtractions

The Copperheads are 1-1 after their first two games, and the loser of both games (Southern Ohio yesterday and Stark County today) combined for 11 errors. The teams are sloppy, that's for sure.

Here are some news and notes:

• I received a text from Gauntlett Eldemire during the broadcast today, and he told me that he has a stress fracture in his left shin. The initial report from a doctor in Cary, N.C., says that he will be out six to eight weeks, so you can say good-bye to Eldemire in a Copperheads' uniform in 2009. That's a real shame.
• A positive note, Jake Goebbert, the 2008 Copperheads' leading hitter, officially signed with the Houston Astros organization according to assistant coach Chris Moore. 
• Two more players will be added to the Copperheads in the coming days. Sam Mahoney, a future member of the Ohio Bobcats and a former member of Northwest Florida State, will join the team tomorrow. He is a catcher and an outfielder, and he will play the latter of the two for Southern Ohio. Anthony Sambula, a pitcher from Cleveland State, will join the team over the weekend.
• Interviews with coach Mike Florak and pitchers David Starn and Rob Moffat are now on our podcasting website (copperheads.mypodcast.com). Coming tomorrow will be the rewinds from Wednesday's 9-4 loss to Licking County and Thursday's 7-1 win over Stark County.
• If you are looking to tune into tomorrow broadcast and the link on copperheadbaseball.com is not working, go to wxtq.com and there should be a link on the homepage. We were able to create one during the game Wednesday, so we should be good to go for Friday.

Back on the air Friday at 7:15 for a 7:30 first pitch. Tony, Allie and I will be ready to bring you the Copperheads and the Xenia Scouts. We will talk to you then.

- Brian 

GAME BLOG - Copperheads vs. Settlers

Well here's some fresh blood for the blog.  It's my first crack at this, and between PA announcing and running the scoreboard, it may get interesting. Needless to say, it's a great day for baseball, especially the start of a brand new campaign.

• 5:30 pm - Licking County is just arriving as the Copperheads are doing some batting practice. Still looking great outside.  There have been reports of bad weather throughout Ohio all day but, as of now, the sun is still shining on Athens.  The Settlers come in with a record of 2-1, third best in the league.  Should be an interesting match-up due to the relationship between the coaches. Settler's skipper Kyle Sobecki served as an assistant coach under Copperheads coach Mike Florak at Youngstown State from 2005-2007. Can the student best the master?  Only time will tell... Here's hoping some good weather doesn't prevent Southern Ohio from raining all over the Settler's parade.
• 6:40 - Less than one hour before game time and the national weather service has announced a tornado watch for Athens County until 10 pm.  Despite this announcement, it's still beautiful outside and the game is ON!  Licking County has finished with their batting practice and the coaches have finished catching up. 
• 7:25 - Field condition is a little behind and so will be the start of tonight's game.  I just received the lineups, and it looks like Cameron Hobson will get the start for the Copperheads while Eric Best will be throwing for Licking County.  
• 7:35 - Well the field crew came through in fine style because it's time for the first pitch.  
• 7:48 - The first pitch of the season is a strike, but a bobbled ball by Chad Geier allowed the first batter of the game, John McCambridge, to get on base.  He was able to steal both second and third en route to being driven in by Phil Kaiser.  Hobson is able to fan Turk and Gray to minimize the damage at one run.
• 7:50 - Today's hot dog eating contest was much shorter than yesterday's.  Those kids are champions.
• 7:55 - Chad Geier & Jerod Yakubik go down swinging and Michael Fear pops up to end the inning.  Uneventful first go-around for the Copperheads.
• 8:06 - Great diving stop by Trent Moses gets Brian Kordal at first.  Koenicsfeld strikes out, but a bang-bang play at first goes to the runner, McCambridge as Davis advances to second.  A single into left field brings one runner home.  Hobson beans Bucholz to load the bases, but, after a meeting on the mound, strikes out Kaiser to once again minimize the damage.  The webs are certainly being shaken off, but he's shown poise in getting out of these first couple jams.
• 8:13 - Jake Plata tallies Southern Ohio's first hit of the season with a double to the right field wall.  Marrero flies out to right but a great throw holds Plata at second.  Davis flies out to end the second inning.  Slow start in front of a great crowd.
• 8:22 - Firs two Settlers go down but another bang-bang play at first is awarded to the runner, Kordal.  But he's soon thrown out at second to end the inning. The crowd is definitely into it, heckling the ump on every bad call and the players for even the slightest lack of hustle.  
• 8:31 - I'm seeing a trend with these close plays at first, only this time it didn't go the runner's way as Moses is out.  Glass and Geier strike out to end the third.  Through the first three, Southern Ohio has two errors, one hit, and no runs.  They'll need to shake off the rust soon if they want to start the season off right.  
• 8:40 - McCambridge doubles to left with two outs and Roberts walks to put two men on and force another meeting on the mound.  Hobson's day is done and Nick Egan comes in to do some relief work.  He gives up a bloop single to Dan Bucholz to drive in another run, but Bucholz is then caught at first to end the inning.  Licking County takes a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the 4th.  
• 8:54 - Yakubik strikes out and Fear grounds out to first.  Hiscox gets on base but no damage is done as Jake Plata flies out to end the inning.  Everyone's still looking for the offense to get off the ground.
• 9:00 - After a Phil Kaiser walk and a John Turk single, there are runners at the corners for Garrett Gray.  Southern Ohio turns the first double play of the season and Kordal is caught stealing at second to end the top of the 5th.  The Settlers carry a 4-0 lead.  
• 9:07 - After Marrerro reaches base, Davis hits into a quick double play.  Trent Moses then strikes out to end the inning as the Copperheads offense continues to stumble.
• 9:19 - A bunt that looked to be dribbling foul leads to Southern Ohio's third error of the night, sending Steve Davis to second.  McCambridge flies out to second, but Roberts is hit by Egan's pitch to put men on first & second.  Bucholz is walked to load to bases leading to yet another meeting at the mound.  Egan comes back to strike out Kaiser to leave the bases juiced.
• 9:27 - Kyle McMillen continues to look strong in his reliever role as he fans Glass.  Geier tallies only the second Copperhead hit of the night and reaches second on a Yakubik ground out to first.  No damage is done though as Michael Fear grounds out to end the inning, leaving a goose egg in the run column.
• 9:47 - Brannon Belair comes in as the third Copperheads pitcher of the night, throwing a strike with his first pitch.  John Turk reaches first off the Copperhead's fourth error of the night.  Both sides of the ball look cold for the home team.  A running catch by Plata prevents a definite extra base hit.  After a walk of Kordal, Koenigsfeld drives run number five into left field by a diving Michael Fear.  Davis adds one more to make it a 6-0 Settlers lead.  Belair's night barely had a chance to get started before it ended as Rob Moffat comes in to hopefully stop the bleeding.  He gets some quick help as Koenigsfeld is caught trying to steal third.  McCambridge sends one over the head of Moffat but a great play by Geier gets him at first to finally end the 7th.
• 10:04 - New Licking County pitcher Andy Podolinski hurls three straight strikes then four straight balls to retire Hiscox and walk Plata.  Justin Marrero finally puts the Copperheads on the board with an RBI triple into dead center.  Davis adds another with a bloop double into right field that just barely landed fair.  Now Trent Moses reaches on a hit and another run comes in on an error at first.  Zach Thoma comes in to pinch hit but grounds out to first.  Geier is beaned on the first pitch of his AB to put runners on the corners.  The fourth run of the inning is scored by a Yakubik passed second base.  Just like Brannon Belair, Andy Podolinski's is pulled in the same inning he's thrown in.  New pitcher Jarad Miller fans Fear to end the inning, but the Settlers' lead is suddenly down to two.  The Copperheads seemed to have finally found their offense and there is finally life at Bob Wren Stadium!
• 10:14 - The leadoff batter, Bucholz, reaches and is moved over by pinch hitter Chris Serritella with a bunt that so no Copperhead covering first base.  Another bunt by is picked up in time to get the force out at third.  John Turk bats into the team's second double play of the night.  Great job to end the inning after a concerning start.  
• 10: 22 - Hiscox leads off the bottom of the 8th with a double to right field.  There's some confusion over whether or not he was out, but after a quick conference, the umps call him safe.  As expected, Sobecki goes out to argue the call, but avoids being ejected.  Plata & Marrero strike out & pinch-hitter Jeff May grounds to first to end the 8th.  The fans are getting more riled up as the night goes on.  One more inning for Southern Ohio to try to pull off the comeback.  
• 10:39 - New Copperheads reliever Tyler Gatrell sits down Gray but walks Kordal to start the 9th.  Koenigsfeld strikes out and Kordal steals second on a misplaced ball by catcher Jeff May.  Davis walks to put men on first & second and McCambridge singles into right to push the Settlers' lead to three.  McCambridge moves to third as Kordal comes home.  He's soon followed by McCambridge who steals home to make it 9-4.  Runners continue to move at will as Roberts steals second.  Gatrell induces a popup to end the inning.  The Copperheads have a big hole to crawl out of to pull out the victory.  
• 10:49 - Miller gets Moses to fly out to center for out number one.  Thoma reaches with a single to left field.  Another long fly to left tallies out number two.  The local Bobcat, Yakubik, is Southern Ohio's last hope on opening night.  Unfortunately, he grounds into the force out to second to end the game.  The Copperheads hang an "L" on the board and start this 2009 campaign 0-1 as Licking County improves to 3-1.

Well, despite one big inning for Southern Ohio, both sides of the ball seemed to be sputtering throughout.  Hopefully the coaching staff can help the team correct these opening night mistakes.  The Copperheads travel to Stark County to face the 2-2 Terriers tomorrow evening at 5 p.m. before coming back home Friday to face the Xenia Scouts at 7:30 p.m.  Stay tuned to Brian Boesch, Tony Castricone, and Allie LaForce on Power 105 to catch all the action!  Also, be sure to head over to copperheadbaseball.com for the game recap and all your latest info on the Copperheads!

- Justin Sampson

Copperheads-Settlers in Jeopardy

The Copperheads and Settlers are scheduled to battle tonight at 7:30 at Bob Wren Stadium...that is, if the rain holds off. There is no rain in the area, but strong storms are expected to develop this evening. We will keep you posted on copperheadbaseball.com, but the game right now is up in the air. They may even postpone the game before the Settlers have to make the two-hour trek to Athens (which would be around 3-3:30). Stay tuned.

UPDATE at 2:50 p.m.: The Copperheads and Settlers will try to get this one in, so hopefully the rain holds off. There is certainly a chance for rain, but Athens is a beautiful place right now.

- Brian

GAME BLOG- Green v. Gold Scrimmage

Well, the team is on the field. Throughout the home schedule, Brad Zahar and Justin Sampson will be your source for up-to-the-minute blogging. Since I have a grand total of zero duties today, I will take you through it. Here is the action (for latest information, scroll to the bottom of this blog):

• 5:30 p.m.: I spoke with pitching coach Chris Moore, and he told me that Cameron Hiscox will start tomorrow against Licking County. David Starn will get the call Thursday at Stark County. Friday's game will feature Corey Harness on the mound. As for this weekend, the rotation is tentatively set as Dave Jensen and Tyler Koors for Saturday's double header and Matthew Robertson and Andy Onak for Sunday's double dip.
• 5:33 p.m.: Allie LaForce, a member of our broadcast team, threw out the first pitch...and it just missed outside (by at least 3 feet).
• 5:34 p.m.: First unit: Robertson P, Fear 1B, Thoma 2B, Marrero SS, Moses 3B, Harness LF (He is a pitcher, but there are not enough position players to have three hitters and 9 fielders), Glass CF, Plata RF.
• 5:41 p.m.: Three consecutive men reach, capped off by a two-run triple by Jerod Yakubik. Robertson is struggling.
• 5:46 p.m.: Robertson battles back to retire the next three batters. He wastes a lot of pitches in the dirt, and the three hitters he has faced have been patient. Robertson's day is done, and in comes Andy Onak.
• 5:55 p.m.: Following the longest hot dog eating contest of all time, Andy Onak pitched pretty well in his half-inning. He retired Chad Geier, gave up a ground ball to Brian Hiscox (but he reached because the throw came home to try to retire the runner) and gave up a hit to Yakubik (Hiscox was thrown out trying to score from second). In now is Nick Egan against the next three batters (Zach Thoma, Jake Plata, and Trent Moses).
• 6:05 p.m.: Egan looked decent. Nothing spectacular. In comes Dave Jensen, who allows an RBI single to Zach Thoma right off the bat. After retiring Moses, Plata flies a ball deep to left field, and Jerod Yakubik flagged it down. It's time for Rob Moffat.
• 6:21 p.m.: Took a break from the game to talk with former Copperhead Marc Krauss. He just inked a $550,000 signing bonus, and he will make $1100 per month during the season months only. He will begin his minor league career with the Diamondbacks' low-A team, the South Bend Silver Hawks. Krauss noted, "It's actually closer to my house than Athens is." Good for Krauss. He deserves it.
• 6:36 p.m.: Matt Bayes gives up two runs in his outing. He hung a few balls, and the hitters took advantage. Brannon Belair also worked a scoreless inning. It is now time for Tyler Gatrell.
• 6:46 p.m.: Gatrell looked pretty solid in his frame. Now Jordan Langley gets his chance.
• 6:52 p.m.: Jeff May singles up the middle off of Langley, and that is the end of the scrimmage. Certainly an interesting day. Not a lot of organization, but everyone got some reps.

The real deal begins tomorrow. Southern Ohio will battle Licking County at 7:30 p.m. Tony Castricone, Allie LaForce and I will greet you from Bob Wren at 7:15 p.m. on Power 105. Tune in online with the link at copperheadbaseball.com. Go Copperheads!

- Brian

"Lineups"- Green v. Gold Scrimmage

Here is the schedule for the Green vs. Gold Scrimmage today at 5:30 at Bob Wren Stadium. There will be no radio for the contest.

There will be four groups of hitters who will all get three at-bats each. After three batters hit, there will be a "half-inning" with people switching up and promotions going on. Here are the groups:

• Group 1: Chad Geier, Brian Hiscox and Jerod Yakubik
• Group 2: Zach Thoma, Trent Moses and Jake Plata
• Group 3: Justin Marrero, Michael Fear and Pat Glass
• Group 4: Jeff May and Taylor Davis

We will see mostly relievers going out to the mound for the Green and Gold. Not sure exactly how the scoring will work, by the way. This is backyard baseball at its finest. Should be interesting.

- Brian

"Spring" Training...Day 1 (of 1)

The day I have been waiting for has finally arrived. The team is in Athens, and we are hours away from the beginning of the 2009 Copperheads season. I am thrilled to begin a second year of covering the Copperheads. Last summer was such a blast for me, and I am ready to bring all of the action to the listeners, the readers, the Tweet-ers, and the bloggers. 

Until we get to the real action, here are a few notes from the day:

• The team arrived at 1:30 p.m. and had a team meeting at Bob Wren Stadium. From there, the guys moved into their apartments and got settled. Another team meeting, the first practice and some pizza rounded out the day.
• The two coaches who have arrived (Mike Florak and Chris Moore) stressed that this first week, with seven games in five days, will be used to simply see what "everyone's got."
• The other coach (Tim Culver) will arrive early Tuesday morning. In fact, Culver will be landing in Columbus at 1:38 a.m. from Phoenix. He will join the squad tomorrow. 
• In speaking with Moore after practice, he claimed that the '09 team looks better after one day than the '08 team did. While that doesn't mean anything, Moore noted, it is better than the other way around.
• Three players who caught Moore's eye Monday at practice: David Starn, Cameron Hobson and Jake Plata.
• An interview with returning shortstop Chad Geier is on our podcast (copperheads.mypodcast.com). Interviews with Florak, Moore and the other returner (Corey Harness) will follow soon.
• We will have the blog, the Twitter page and the podcast linked to our website very soon.
• The team will take team and individual pictures tomorrow, prior to the Green and Gold Scrimmage.

The season is almost here. Stay tuned.

- Brian

Eldemire and Hess making news

While the Copperheads haven't even met yet, the GLSCL is not waiting up. A fairly busy weekend is already in the books for the league, and Lima leads the way at 2-0. Follow all of the action at the league's website, which can be reached here.

It was an eventful weekend for the Copperheads as well. To the news...

• Gauntlett Eldemire will try out for Team USA and thus will not be in Athens to start the season, and he may not be here at all. For all the details, click here.
• There is a lot of stiff competition, and only 22 of the 41 guys who will try out will be selected. However, Eldemire could very easily stick. He has power, can play any outfield position, can hit anywhere in the lineup and is a fast guy. Good luck to Gauntlett.
• Kevan Hess has signed with the Detroit Tigers organization, so his Copperheads' career is over. I am working on getting an interview with the Bronco-turned-Tiger, and I will hopefully have it up on the podcast soon.
• Assistant coach Chris Moore and Copperheads board member (and Ohio head coach) Joe Carbone were two of the many coaches in Omaha this weekend for the College World Series.
• The 2009 version of the Copperheads will meet for the first time tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. at Bob Wren Stadium. The rest of the day will include getting their equipment, moving into the apartments and having their first practice.
• The Green and Gold Scrimmage will be at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, and it is scheduled to be a seven inning game with a normal batting practice session beforehand.

That is it for us. Stay tuned for some more broadcasting information, as the opener is just three days away.

- Brian

Seven Copperheads drafted

Seven Copperheads were drafted in this year's MLB Draft, which concluded Thursday afternoon. For the full story on the seven guys, click here. 

37 former or current Copperheads have been drafted or have inked Independent League contracts in team history, with only seven seasons in the books. I have only been around for two years, but that is a number that everyone should respect and appreciate. The Copperheads can certainly boast the phrase "Come See Tomorrow's Pros Today."

Some notes on the draft:

• For some perspective, here are the number of Copperheads taken in the last seven drafts (2003-2009): 4...2...5...4...2...6...7. Fairly consistent, but this year was the best yet. Not only does Southern Ohio get seven players drafted, but two (Marc Krauss and Jon Pokorny) are selected in the first ten rounds.
• Seven Kent State players (including Southern Ohio's Pokorny) were taken in the draft. Pretty darn good for a MAC school. That program is pretty special.
• You can read my thoughts on Krauss in a previous blog. Here are my thoughts on the three other guys (Jake Goebbert, Kevan Hess, and Ben Watkins) I have seen extensively:
• Goebbert: He has a great eye at the plate, and he will make pitchers work. The lefty has some power, but he is a gap type of hitter. I love his attitude and passion for the game. He was slowed by injuries this season, so he may return to Northwestern for his senior season. Either way, I think he can be a good prospect in the Houston system. He was the best hitter on the 2008 Copperheads, and it wasn't even that close.
• Hess: I was surprised he went this high, but he has a heck of an arm. He was not going to make it as a hitter, but he clocks in his fastball in the low 90s. This year was his first year pitching at the collegiate level, so he has plenty of room for improvement after a 2009 season that featured an 8+ ERA.
• Interesting note on Hess-he and his family (who treated the team to a meal last year during our trip to Anderson...very nice family) are Tigers fans. In fact, Hess' brother Andrew was selected by Detroit in the 19th round in 2007 and is with the Tigers' high A team (Lakeland).
• Watkins: I only saw him three times, but I liked what I saw each time. He has good control, and he DOMINATED during his senior season (7-1, 0.84 ERA, 63 Ks, four BBs) with the Mountain Cats of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. I'm glad he will get a look by a Yankees farm system that is always in need of more arms.
• Ricky Marshall, a starting pitcher on the 2008 squad, was not selected. He has one more year of eligibility left, and I know his snub affected him. He told me about two weeks ago that he was expecting to be selected, so he will be motivated for this summer.

Good luck to all seven draftees. Stay tuned for more.

- Brian

Marc Krauss drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks

Marc Krauss, a junior at Ohio University and a current member of the 2009 Southern Ohio Copperheads, was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second round of this evening's MLB Draft. He was the 64th overall selection.

Krauss set a single-season school record with 27 home runs for the Bobcats this past spring, and he also tied the school mark with 70 runs batted in.  The Deshler, Ohio, native hit .402 and led the Bobcats to an 18-9 record in the Mid-American Conference and a three seed in the conference tournament.

There will be a story on copperheadbaseball.com tomorrow about Krauss and the selection, so keep your eyes out for that. Also coming to the site soon are features on David Starn and Gauntlett Eldemire.

Until then, here are some notes on the big day for the slugger:

• This was not a surprise. Scouts were present at many Ohio games throughout the 2009 season, especially in Chillicothe at the conference tournament.
• The stock really began to rise on Krauss after his stellar season with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod league. He hit .353 with three homers and 31 runs batted in. That, plus an astronomical year statistically this spring, pushed him into day one of the draft.
• Krauss will most likely sign with the Diamondbacks, but the question is when. Until he signs a contract, Krauss can still play for Southern Ohio. Once he does sign, his possible starting spots include Missoula, Mont. (rookie league), Yakima, Wash. (low A), South Bend, Ind. (A, and within driving distance of his home) or maybe even Visalia, Calif. (A advanced).
• From an offensive standpoint, the guy is a beast. Power to all fields, fundamentally sound, good plate discipline, decent speed for a big guy. He played first base, third base, left field, and right field in his college career. If you ask me, he projects as an outfielder (probably left) going forward. Nonetheless, getting to watch him while doing play-by-play for the Ohio baseball team was a treat. He is fun to watch.
• So, odds are Krauss will not be in Athens the whole summer, as the deadline to sign a draft pick is August 15. My guess is that he signs fairly quickly, so anything the Copperheads get out of Krauss should be appreciated.
• Interesting note: Krauss is an Indians fan, and the Tribe passed on the left-handed slugger twice, including at pick 63 (one slot before the D-Backs' selection). 
• To hear from Krauss, tune in to the Sears Sports Fan on 970 WATH in Athens Wednesday night at 6:06 p.m., as Caleb Troop and I will have the Bobcat-turned-Diamondback in-studio to talk about the draft. He is a personable guy and a great interview, so you will enjoy the interview. You can also tune in on athensi.com (click on the 'WATH AM' link on the right side of the page) or listen to the podcast at thesportsfan.mypodcast.com.

Our new website will be debuting sometime this week, so keep an eye out for that. One week until the Green and Gold scrimmage! Go Copperheads!

- Brian

To the real business...

Much of the content here on the Copperheads' official blog goes beyond the specifics on the field. It will go beyond the game recaps and the feature stories. This is intended to give you random stats, fun facts, interesting stories and even some commentary on the 2009 version of the Copperheads. 

There will be two types of blogs. The first type (this one being an example) will throw some tidbits at you, and I (Brian Boesch) will be the one behind these. The other types, provided by our two staff writers (Justin Sampson and Brad Zahar) will be running blogs during home games. With few road sites having internet access, road games will not have running blogs, but you can tune into our play-by-play broadcasts available at copperheadbaseball.com or keep tabs at our Twitter account (twitter.com/gocopperheads).

Ok, so here goes nothing:

• The GLSCL season spans 51 days, and for the second straight year, Southern Ohio will begin later than most teams. Last year, every team had at least four games in the books before the Snakes kicked off the season with a victory over Xenia.
• Why is this? Ohio University is on the quarter system, which means students (like me) have to stay in school until this coming Friday. The players simply do not have a place to live. Thus, the Copperheads have to get a late start.
• This year, the Copperheads will have the second latest start. Lake Erie will not begin league play until June 24, but the Monarchs will play 12 games in Alaska, including the 104th annual "Midnight Sun Game." It is truly a unique game. For more info, click here.
• Is this a problem? Southern Ohio got off to a great start (6-2) in 2008, but the real issue was the end of the season. The Copperheads played seven games in the final four days of the regular season. The team simply ran out of gas (and pitching), and a condensed schedule can be partly to blame.
• But the problem should not be as big of an issue this year. The Copperheads are only missing out on the first five days of the season. Plus, with Delaware and Columbus exiting the GLSCL, and only Hamilton coming aboard, the season is only 36 games long this year (which, by the way, is the shortest season in league history). The only issue may be the quick start to the season. One practice and one scrimmage will probably not be enough to help coach Mike Florak set his lineup and rotation with confidence.
• The GLSCL announced yesterday that it will stream a "Game of the Week" on its website during the season. Dave Hejmanowski will provide the play-by-play, and David Boger will provide color commentary. The only "Game of the Week" featuring Southern Ohio will be on July 1, when Stark County visits Athens.
• Only one current Copperhead remains alive in the NCAA tournament. Jeff May of North Carolina will be heading to Omaha and the College World Series. The Tar Heels are a perfect 5-0, including a sweep of East Carolina in the Super Regional. Kent State (Brannon Belair and David Starn) and Xavier (Tyler Koors) each went 1-2 in their regional.
• And finally, there is a story on the main website, but again I would like to thank Jim Cox for his service to the Copperheads. He is a great guy and an avid fan.

The countdown is on. Seven days until the team arrives. Eight days until the Green and Gold Scrimmage. Nine days until Southern Ohio opens the season against Licking County.

Stay tuned.

- Brian

Welcome

The Southern Ohio Copperheads would like to welcome you to its new blog, copperheadbaseball.blogspot.com. The Copperheads are entering their eighth year of existence, and the 2009 season is sure to be a great one. 

To keep you updated on the Copperheads, we have decided to improve our coverage. Here are all of the ways to stay updated with the Copperheads:

• The team's official website (www.copperheadbaseball.com), which has been relaunched to provide even more content. Visit the site to hear audio from players and coaches, listen back to rewinds of previous games, read game recaps and feature stories, and view pictures from recent games.
• The Copperheads' twitter account (twitter.com/GoCopperheads). Game updates and team news will be available to keep you updated on the news happening right now.
• Live play-by-play broadcasts of the Copperheads. For home games, tune into Power 105 (105.5 FM in Athens). When the Copperheads are on the road, log onto copperheadbaseball.com to hear all of the action. Brian Boesch, Tony Castricone and Allie LaForce will paint the picture for you, starting 15 minutes before each game.
• Right here at copperheadbaseball.blogspot.com. Live blogging from Brian Boesch, Justin Sampson and Brad Zahar will enhance your coverage all season long.

The team arrives in Athens in eight days (June 15, to be exact). The Green and Gold game (an intersquad scrimmage at Bob Wren Stadium) takes place one day later at 5:30 PM. Then, the GLSCL slate begins with a visit from Licking County at 7:30 PM on Wednesday, June 17. 

The 2009 season will be a blast, and we will keep you updated better than ever before.

Take care, and Go Copperheads!