ATHENS, OHIO – The Cincinnati Steam are once again back in the GLSCL playoffs in 2012 with its eyes on their third GLSCL title in five years. The Steam begin their postseason journey tonight at 7:30 pm in Athens against the Southern Ohio Copperheads.
The series will be a best-of-three format with the winner advancing to the GLSCL Championship Series. Game 2 will shift back to Cincinnati on Thursday night at Western Hills High School at 7:05 pm. If a deciding Game 3 is necessary, it would take place on Friday at 7:05 pm at Western Hills High School.
The #4 seeded Copperheads took three out of four meetings with the Steam this year and will give the #1 seeded Cincinnati Steam a very competitive series.
These two teams met for the first time in 2012 on July 8 in Cincinnati. The Copperheads swept the Steam in a double header winning by scores of 11-6 and 11-7.
The two teams met again, this time in Athens, on July 25 for another double header. The Steam were able to come away with a split winning the first game 8-1 behind the masterful pitching performance of Second-Team All-GLSCL and GLSCL All Star Matt Jefferson. However, the bats for the Copperheads struck back during the second game as they defeated Cincinnati 13-0.
If the Steam are going to come out on top in this series they must keep the bats of of Southern Ohio at bay. The Copperheads field three First-Team All-GLSCL players and two Second-Team All-GLSCL players.
The Copperheads’ Blaise Salter was voted the best catcher in the GLSCL in 2012. He hit .319 with seven home runs and 26 RBI’s over the course of the season. First-Team All-GLSCL second baseman Joe Sturino was second on the team with a .325 average. He got on base safely 48 times in 120 AB’s and knocked in 23 RBI’s.
Shortstop Matt Glomb led the Copperheads with a .333 batting average. Glomb also hit three long balls and swiped four bags on his way to being named on the Second-Team All-GLSCL.
Staring Pitcher Justin Brantley led won five games for the Copperheads during the regular season and recorded another win against Stark County last night in their opening playoff game. He posted a 4.18 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 32.1 innings.
The best pitcher for the Copperheads is First-Team All-GLSCL RP Josh Roeder. Roeder pitched 15 innings in 2012 with a 0.60 ERA and WHIP of 0.933. He also added 21 strikeouts to his already impressive statistics. The Steam have their own weapons to match the Copperheads and the series should be very competitive.
Steam manager Billy O’Conner and these group of players have been able to put it together when they have needed too all season long and the mood around the organization is that of calmness and relaxation. Game 1 is going to be a dogfight between two capable teams. The Steam are just four wins away from their third GLSCL Championship. Hopefully, after tonight, only three.
Joshua Omedeo
Cincinnati Steam Intern
August 1, 2012