Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Eagles walloped by Wildcats

The Oran High School baseball team had its season end on Monday in the sectional round of the Missouri Class 1 state tournament at Cooter 10-0 in five innings.  it was the sixth time in the last nine years that the two squads had met in the sectional round,  The Eagles were 4-1 in the previous five meetings.

On Monday, the game was scoreless through the first two innings as both pitchers worked around leadoff walks in the first.  Cooter managed three runners in their half of the first.  Todd Priggel walked the first man he faced to start the game (Oran won the toss and was the home team on the scoreboard), but on a pickoff attempt, the runner broke for second and was gunned down, Ty Johnson to Luke Patterson.  A two-out single and a hit batter were stranded.

Jacob Shoemaker walked to start the Eagle-half, stole second but made it no farther.

In the second, the Wildcats had a one-out single and a walk but then a ground ball force out and a strikeout ended the threat.

Dawson Menz got the first Oran hit of the game with one down in the second but was not able to advance.

Cooter hit paydirt in the third, the first three reached on a walk, a hit batter and a single.  A wild pitch, a second single and a sacrifice fly made the score 3-0.

In the fourth, the Wildcats batted around and scored four.  A walk, an error and two hit batters ended Priggel's day and Conner Kern relieved.  He hit a batter and was the victim of an error before getting the third out.

Ty Johnson singled to open the bottom of the fourth but a force out and a double play ended the inning and the Eagles were down 7-0.

In the fifth,  the first two were retired before an error, a walk, a single and a double plated two.

Oran tried to extend the game in its half.  Menz picked up his second hit of the day with a leadoff single and Luke Patterson walked on four straight, but then two infield ground balls turned into forceouts and a pop fly ended the game by the mercy rule, 10-0.

Priggel (1-4) took the loss for the Eagles, who finished 10-10 on the year.  He went three and two-thirds.  He allowed four hits, seven runs, but only three earned.  He walked four and struck out seven.  Kern went an inning and a third gave up two hits, three runs, none earned, walked one and struck out two.

Menz had two hits.  He finished the season going 3-3 dating back to the walk-off single in the district championship game.  Johnson had the only other hit for Oran, who did not get a baserunner past second base.

Coach Joe Bickings said, "It was a tough loss and obviously not the way we wanted to end our season. In big games, it comes down to throwing strikes, making plays, and timely hitting. We didn't do a very good job of that. I think we had five walks, three errors, and only three hits.  We lost 10-0 while only giving up 3 earned runs.  I think a lot of it has to do with our youth and inexperience being in such a pressured filled game.  Hopefully, we can learn from that and if we're lucky enough to get back in that game we will perform better. "

On the season, Bickings added, "As a whole, it was a rollercoaster ride. We started out pretty good I think at 7-3.  Then we go into districts with an 8-9 record.  Now with that being said, I feel like we play in a very tough conference and we arguably have the toughest schedule in the state for a Class 1 school. Being in our conference and playing that tough of a schedule at times won't make our record look good but we have to learn how to compete against bigger schools to prepare us for districts and hopefully beyond.  I'm proud of the boys for battling this season and helping Oran win another district championship in baseball."








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