Huntingburg, IN – After a rough start in River States Conference play, where the Oakland City baseball team went 1-5, it looks like the team is back to winning. The University of Rio Grande RedStorm travelled to Southern Indiana to play a doubleheader on Sunday and a single nine-inning game on Monday.
Game 1
After a rough start, where the visitors from Rio Grande, Ohio took an early 0-2 lead.
Xander Willis tied the game at two in the second inning with a hard hit single up the middle.
Treven Madden (walk) and
Sam Pinckert (single) were able to score, to put the Mighty Oaks right back in the ballgame.
The RedStorm retook the lead in the top of the fourth inning, but this lead didn't last long. In the bottom half of the inning, the Mighty Oaks capitalized off some sloppy defense and poor command on the visitor's side.
Garrett Causey got on base after a throwing error,
Treven Madden and
Sam Pinckert loaded the base with two hit by pitches.
Alec Pruitt brought home the tying run with a sacrifice fly.
Xander Willis followed with a walk, to load the bases again. Another walk followed, this time for
Jared Kirkman. The Mighty Oaks took the lead again. One more walk, this time for
Aron Busick and a sacrifice fly from
Noah Baugher, put the home squad up 3-6 after four innings.
A two-run homerun from AJ Thomas, of the Rio Grande RedStorm, put the visitors back in the game. The score was now 6-5 after five innings.
Some insurance runs were scored in the bottom half of the sixth inning.
Jared Kirkman (E6) and
Aron Busick (bunt single) were able to score on an errant pickoff attempt to third base. This moved the score to 8-5.
Sam Pinckert would put the icing on the cake, scoring one more with a solo homerun to left field in the seventh inning. The final score was 9-5. Pinckert led the Oakland City offense with three hits in three at bats.
The pitching staff was led by
Gehrig Tenhumberg, who earned the win. He went five innings, allowing nine hits, five runs, four earned runs, all while walking none and fanning four. The Mighty Oaks relievers were
Hunter Callahan (2.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 SO),
Owen Spears (1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO) and
Evan Price (0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO).
Game 2
After game one, where the offense stepped up in a big way. Game two was led by starting pitcher
Ben Simmons. He would end up throwing a complete game. In seven innings, he allowed just six hits and one run (earned), while walking none and striking out four. This performance gave his team a very good shot at taking home another victory on Sunday.
In the first inning, the home team was able to score one.
Conner Oxley, who drew a walk, was able to find his way home after some wild pitches and a fielder's choice.
The Oakland City lead doubled in the second inning.
Xander Willis led off with a single up the middle. He advanced to third base on a single from
Aron Busick. Willis was able to score after
Garrett Causey put the ball in play, causing another error by the RedStorm.
Three basehits in the third inning, allowed
Sam Pinckert to score,
Jared Kirkman drove him in. In the top of the fourth inning, the visitors scored their lone run of the game, making the score 3-1. The score would stay here for a little while, until the bottom of the sixth.
Back-to-back-to-back singles from
Treven Madden,
Sam Pinckert and
Oliver Hamilton added one insurance run.
Xander Willis, who was celebrating his twentieth birthday on Sunday, put the game out of reach with a three-run homerun to deep left field. The Mighty Oaks won; the final score was 7-1.
Game 3
With a chance to sweep on the line,
Christian Burgrabe took the mound for Oakland City on Monday. He gave his team a very good chance to bring out the brooms, as he pitched seven innings of one run baseball. In his outing, he gave up five hits, one unearned run, he walked none and struck out one.
That one run came in the fourth inning, to tie the game up, as the Mighty Oaks took an early lead in the second inning. After
Xander Willis reached first base on a single and stole second base, he was able to score on a throwing error from the RedStorm shortstop. That ball was hit by
Jared Kirkman.
After the RedStorm had tied the game in the fourth inning, the pitching for both teams was stellar. Hardly any offense was created.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Mighty Oaks took advantage of some command struggles on the mound.
Sam Pinckert and
Oliver Hamilton walked,
Alec Pruitt got hit by pitch and all of the sudden the bases were loaded. With two outs and the game on the line,
Aron Busick showed some plate discipline, drawing another walk to bring home the winning run. The final score was 2-1.
A big win for the Mighty Oaks, who are scheduled to play Asbury University on Wednesday, before they will make the drive to West Virginia, where a conference matchup with the Golden Bears of WVU Tech is awaiting. Oakland City is now 20-8 on the year and 4-5 in River States Conference play.
