XENIA — The Xenia Scouts summer collegiate baseball team qualified for the playoffs of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League for the first time since 2016.

Finishing the regular season with a 21-17 record, the Scouts tied for first place with the Hamilton Joes after being atop the division every day of the season except for one. They were awarded the No. 1-seed in the South Division for holding the tiebreaker, having a 5-4 record against the Joes this season.

The Scouts are led by six GLSCL All-Stars, including first baseman and pitcher Anthony Hausner. Committed to playing at The Citadel next spring, he hit .341 with two home runs and 22 RBI, and won the Gary Henschen Player of the Year award in the GLSCL. Riley Carter was a starter at DH, and Maximo De Leon, Griff Hughes, Ryne Kaiser and Ryan Olson also were recognized.

Xenia as a team had the league’s worst batting average and second-most strikeouts at the plate, but rank near the top in several pitching and fielding categories.

Manager Colby Watilo was named the South Division Manager of the Year in his first season in charge.

Xenia will host Hamilton, the two-time defending league champions, in game one of a best-of-three series at Grady’s Field at Athletes In Action beginning at 7:05 p.m. on Wednesday. Game two will be at Hamilton on Thursday, and a deciding game three will be again hosted by Xenia on Friday if necessary.

The winner of the series advances to the GLSCL Championship Series against the North Division winner, which will be either the Muskegon Clippers (33-5) or Lima Locos (25-13). Also a best-of-three, that series is scheduled to begin on Saturday and conclude no later than Monday.

Contact Steven Wright at 937-502-4498 and follow on Twitter @Steven_Wright_.