In a matchup of two teams battling for playoff positioning, the Lake Norman Copperheads and Tennessee Tornado split a doubleheader on Sunday, July 11, with the Tornado taking game one 6-1 before the Copperheads came back with an 8-2 victory in game two.

The doubleheader was originally scheduled for Saturday night, but a lightning storm damaged several aspects of Hopewell High School, including malfunctioning a sprinkler head in left field. When the teams showed up Saturday, they found themselves a nice, wide puddle in the area.

In game one on Sunday, the Tornado jusmped out to a three run lead in the top of the second inning thanks to a pair of singles, a hit by pitch, and a double down the line. The Copperheads responded with a run in the bottom of the second when Tyler Horan (Virginia Tech) reached on an error before scoring on a Mark Heil (Columbia) single three batters later.

The Tornado added three more runs in the third inning, highlighted by Carlos Santana's two-run homer, to provide the last of the scoring in the game. The Copperheads would not advance a runner farther than second base after the fourth inning in the loss.

In game two, the Copperheads again fell behind early after the Tornado pushed across their leadoff man and took a 1-0 lead. Shane Basen (UNC Charlotte) reached on a fielder's choice in the second inning before coming around to score on Tyler Zupcic's (App. State) double to tie the game.

The Tornado pushed ahead again in the top of the third when Tito Mendoza doubled and scored, but the Copperheads would respond and take the lead for good in the bottom of the frame.

In the home half of the third, the Copperheads scored three runs, as Ryan Stetson (App. State) singled, Horan doubled, and Jon Eisen (Columbia) reached on an error before all three scored. Zupcic tripled to start the fourth inning, before scoring on Wes Dozier's (Carson Newman) single. Horan singled and scored on Dan Haverstick's (University of Rhode Island) singled him home for the second run of the inning.

The Copperheads added two final runs in the sixth, as Zupcic walked and Dozier was hit by a pitch as they both advanced on stolen bases and moved arond the bases before scoring the final runs of the night.

(photo - ASU athletics)

Tyler Zupcic was 3-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored, and an RBI in game two.