Eagles hold off Cubs

The Oran Eagles baseball team managed only 2 hits yesterday but were given 10 walks and that was enough to squeak out a 3-2 victory on the road over the Bell City Cubs.

The game between the two district rivals was played after the tournament seed meeting had taken place, with the Cubs getting the top ranking and the Eagles the second, meant little more than school pride.

Oran took the lead early as the first 3 Eagles reached via walks and Cole Priggel, who got the start on the mound, drove in Drew Reischman with a ground out to second.  The other two runners were stranded.

Priggel had to work out of a jam in the bottom half of inning number one.  He walked a batter with one out and then induced a ground ball for a force out.  A single put runners on first and second.  Another single off shortstop Reischman's glove allowed the lead runner to head for home.  Reischman was able to gun him out on a bang-bang play, thanks in large part to a nice diving tag by catcher Clay Sauceda.

Oran added to its lead in the second.  Two more walks opened the frame and Reischman drove in Denver Elfrink with a one-out double off the base of the center field fence.  Sauceda then scored Wyatt Kinney with a bloop single to right.  A double play followed and once again the Eagles left 2 on base.

Oran's bats were silent the rest of the way.

Meanwhile, Bell City picked up 2 unearned runs in the fifth.  A two-out single drove in runners that had reached on single and an error to start that half inning.  Sauceda relieved Priggel and he retired the first four he faced to get the game to the seventh.

The Cub's number nine hitter singled to open the last inning and Sauceda was replaced by Todd Priggel.  He was able to get a ground ball to first, where Austin Eftink stepped on the bag, threw over the runner's head to Reischman at second who put the tag on and suddenly there were two outs on no one on.  But, then a single was followed by a walk to put the potential winning run on base with the clean-up batter coming to the plate.  He hit a ground ball towards third, where Cole Priggel was playing, and Cole was able to make a diving tag on the lead runner to end the game.

Cole Priggel got the win to improve to 2-0.  He went 4 2/3 innings, gave up 2 unearned runs on 5 hits.  He walked 2 and struck out 1.  Sauceda went 1 1/3 innings.  He allowed 1 hit while striking out 1.  Todd Priggel picked up the save, the first of his career.  He worked 1 inning, he gave up a hit and a walk.

Reischman, Sauceda and Cole Priggel each had a rbi.  Reischman had the game's only extra-base hit with his double.

The defense, while committing 3 errors, did turn 2 double plays and got the runner out at home.

Oran improved to 12-3 and will host class 5 Poplar Bluff on Wednesday at 4 pm.