Settlers beat Copperheads, advance in playoffs

Licking County’s bid for a fourth consecutive championship remains alive.

Michael Ketchmark drove in five runs with a homer and single, and the fifth-seeded Settlers scored three times in the top of the eighth to oust fourth-seeded host Southern Ohio 6-3 Wednesday in a Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League play-in game.

Dustin Lee and Chad Wagner added two singles each and Robbie Doring had an RBI double for Licking County, which opens a best-of-three semifinal series at top-seeded Lima Thursday. The Settlers will play at home Friday, and a third game if needed will be played at Lima Saturday.

Perry DellaValle pitched three scoreless innings with four strikeouts to get the win.