Since 1986, baseball has been played during the months of June to August in the states of Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky in one of the premier collegiate summer leagues. The Great Lakes Summer Collegiate Baseball League has a laundry list of alumni who have gone onto play Major League Baseball. Players such as Nick Swisher, John Van Benschoten, Brad Hennessey, Brian Bixler and Eric Wedge have all competed in the GLSCL.
Former Youngstown State baseball coach Mike Florak is back at the helm of the Southern Ohio Copperheads. Florak, in his second season with the Copperheads, led the Penguins to their only NCAA Tournament appearance in 2004. He coached Youngstown State for nine seasons before stepping down after the 2007 campaign. Coach Florak won over 200 games at YSU.
The Copperheads, based in Athens, are sitting atop the standings with a 7-3 record. Southern Ohio features former Salem Quaker David Wright as a reliever. The 6'5 Kent State junior was a three-year letter winner in high school. Wright is 1-0 in three relief appearances. David's brother Bryan was a kicker for the Michigan Wolverines.
