May 7 - The Mason Heroes 11u rallied for eight runs in their final three frames while Luke Masri and Drew Markey allowed two runs on one hit in 4.1 relief innings to close out a comeback victory over the Falls Church Copperheads 11u and earn a split of a doubleheader yesterday at Mason District Park in Annandale.

Trailing 2-0 in the third inning, the Mason Heroes capitalized on a couple of walks and an error to score three unearned runs off Copperheads starter Mason DuVal and command a lead they would not squander, scoring five more runs in the next two innings.

“We have a history of coming back on teams and late in games we tend to play well,” Mason Heroes coach David Masri said. “Our strengths are our pitching and defense but we can hit the ball too. It’s hard to stay focused in the second game of a doubleheader, but they did that and it showed up in the final score.”

Seven different men scored for the Mason Heroes as Masri led the way with a pair of runs. Dominic Kaufmann went 1-for-2 with 2 RBI and a run scored, delivering a clutch two-run single in the fifth. TK Decareau and Will Headley also each drove in a run for the Mason Heroes.   

Headley started on the mound for the Mason Heroes and was charged with two runs over 1.2 innings. Masri came on in relief in the second inning after Headley reached his pitch limit of 40 pitches and allowed just one hit while walking two in 3.1 innings. Markey then pitched a scoreless sixth inning with two strikeouts.

“When we can limit walks that is key for us,” coach Masri said. “We feel that any four or five of our pitchers that go out there will give us a chance to win.”

James Tobin drove in a run and later scored on an error to give the Copperheads a 2-0 lead in the second. The Copperheads would not score again until the fourth when Reed Little and DuVal each scored on a pass ball. After recording four hits in the first three innings, the Copperheads were held hitless for the remainder of the game.

DuVal did not allow a hit in three innings, allowing three unearned runs while walking six and striking out three. Relievers Sean Robinson and Jake Marsh allowed five runs (two earned) on four hits in two innings for the Copperheads.

“We got some guys in different positions and that is when the errors are going to come but our main goal is to get better each week in those positions where they are not experts,” Copperheads coach Will Marsh said. “That's what we talked about: what we did right, what we did wrong and how we make the improvements and adjustments to get better.”

The Mason Heroes dropped the first game of the doubleheader to the Copperheads, 6-5. Nathan Lake allowed one run over 4.1 innings while Marsh and Robinson combined to drive in four runs to lead the Copperheads in game one.   

The Copperheads will play next in a doubleheader against the Koa 11u at Wheaton Regional Park on Sunday while the Mason Heroes will be in action next against the Fairfax Royals on at Providence Park on May 20.