The Eagles scored first, in the top of the first. Todd Priggel tripled with one out and Ty Johnson followed that with a double.
Leopold took a lead they would never relinquish in the bottom half. The Wildcats sent 10 to the plate. They turned two errors, two doubles, two singles, a walk and a double-steal into six runs off of two Eagle hurlers. Todd Priggel got the start, faced seven batters, retiring one. Kayden Hargrove threw the next three and two-thirds.
Leopold added a single tally in the second with two singles sandwiched around a double.
Oran made some noise in the fourth. Seth Cauble reached to start the frame on an infield error. He went to third on Luke Patterson's double. Cauble would score on Avery Mitchem's single and Patterson went to third. Patterson scored on Jacob Shoemaker's sacrifice fly. Ty Johnson drove in Mitchem with his second double of the day to make the score 7-4.
The Wildcats got two of those runs back in the bottom half. A lead-off home run was followed by a one-out single, a fielder's choice, a ground out and another single.
Leopold threatened again in their half of the fifth. The first two batters singled. Conner Kern came in to retire the side. He set down all six batters he faced.
The score might have been worse but the Eagles threw out two runners at the plate.
Coach Joe Bickings said, "I felt like we did not come out ready to play and it showed in the first inning. We gave up six runs and committed two errors. I told the kids that I will take the blame for that because I didn’t have them ready to play. We struck out way too many times and especially with runners on or in scoring position. We have to find a way to put the ball in play and at the very least move a runner up a base. We are struggling to do the little things that help you win baseball games. But you have to give Leopold credit. Todd [Priggel] was throwing strikes and they were just hitting him and that is baseball sometimes. I thought Kaden [Hargrove] came in and helped hold them in check for the most part but we couldn’t get anything going offensively early in the innings. Connor [Kern] also came in and threw the ball really well and that is good to see out of a freshman. We can’t dwell on the past as we have to turn around and play another district opponent today in Oak Ridge."
Johnson continued his hot-hitting. He was 2-3 with two doubles and two RBI. Mitchem also had two hits and drove in one. Shoemaker had the other RBI.
Priggel (1-1) was charged with the loss. He went one-third of an inning. He gave up six runs, four earned, on four hits. He walked one and struck out one. Hargrove pitched three and two-thirds allowing three runs, all earned, on eight hits. He struck out seven and walked no one. Kern went the final two frames and did not allow a hit or a run, striking out three.
Oran (2-2) will be back in action this afternoon when they play their first home game since May 22nd when they defeated Cooter in a walk-off on their march to a state championship. Softball will also host Oak Ridge. Both games start at 4:30. It is the first Jr. Beta Grill Day as well.
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