Blake Bagshaw pitches 6 innings in relief to get the win as Steam advance to championship series.
The Cincinnati Steam rallied from a five run deficit to beat the Southern Ohio Copperheads 7-6 in the final playoff game Friday night.
The game got off to a rough start for the Steam due to struggles on the mound. Taking advantage, the Copperheads plated five runs in the first three innings. Relief pitcher Blake Bagshaw (NKU/Hillsboro) entered in the third to prevent further further damage, later recording the win for the Steam.
Selby Chidemo (Xavier/Elder) started the Steam’s come back, putting the first run on the board in the fourth after reaching on a fielding error. Parker Wormsley (Tennessee) continued the rally in the fifth with a lead off double down the right field line. Matt Williams (Cincinnati/CHCA) later drove in Wormsley and then scored on a wild pitch cutting the Copperhead’s lead 5-3.
With ducks on the pond and two outs, Robby Sunderman (Dayton/Moeller) ripped one into right field to bring in two runs to tie the game. Nick Priessman (Eastern Illinois/Colerain) followed with a well-hit double into deep center field to give the Steam the lead 7-5.
After the Copperheads scored a run in the ninth, closing pitcher David Etscheid (Thomas More/Ryle) entered striking out three to record the save.
The Steam will play Licking County Saturday night at Don Edwards Field in Newark, Ohio for the first game of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate Championship series.
SO 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 - 6 10 1
CIN 0 0 0 1 2 0 4 0 x - 7 9 1
WP-Blake Bagshaw (1-0) LP- Erik Shannahan (0-1) SV-David Etscheid
SO-LOB 8- Fish 3-5, 2B, R; Papa 1-4 2B, 3RBI; Borgschulte 1-4, 2B, R.
CIN-LOB 7-Sunderman 2-4, 2B, R, 2RBI; Wormsley1-4, 2B, R; Madsen 2-5, 2B, 3R, RBI; Priessman 1-4, 2B, 3RBI.