Box Score Frankfort, KY – After a big weekend of River States Conference play in Ohio, the Oakland City baseball traveled to Frankfort, Kentucky to play a midweek game versus Kentucky State University (NCAA D2) on Tuesday.
The Mighty Oaks started off hot. In the second inning,
Bailey Hale led off the inning with a hit by pitch.
Mason Simon followed with a single and both runners were able to advance a base on a wild pitch.
Chase Christie brought home the first run with a sacrifice fly, which allowed Hale to score. Simon later scored on a single from
Jackson Pullen, giving Oakland City a 2-0 lead.
The Oakland City lead doubled an inning later. After
Xander Willis walked,
Sam Pinckert deposited a ball deep over the left field fence, making it a 4-0 ballgame.
In the fourth inning, Kentucky State came right back in the game, scoring four runs and tying the score back up. The home team took a 4-6 lead in the following inning.
Oakland City did not give up, as they put up five runs in the sixth inning.
Chase Christie led off with a double,
Jackson Pullen walked and
Aron Busick loaded the bases with a bunt single.
Noah Baugher grounded into a fielder's choice, which allowed Christie to score.
Xander Willis followed with a single to load the bases back up again. Busick scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly from
Sam Pinckert. The Mighty Oaks took the lead again after
Garrett Causey, but he reached base after the ball got away from the catcher. The throw to first allowed
Noah Baugher to score from second base. An RBI single from
Mason Simon plated Oakland City's eighth run, before Causey scored the 9-6 on a wild pitch.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Thorobreds of Kentucky State University tied the game back up at nine. The offense was limited in the seventh and eighth inning, bringing the game down to the ninth. Oakland City wasn't able to produce much in the top half of the inning. The home team was. After a quick first out, three singles in a row plated the winning run for Kentucky State in walk-off fashion.
Aron Busick led the Oakland City offense with three hits,
Sam Pinckert had the most RBIs with three. On the mound,
Weston Allen (4 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO),
Konnor Kreinbrook (1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO),
Garrett Whiteker (1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO) and
Tommy Johnson (L, 2.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO) all toed the rubber for the Mighty Oaks.
Oakland City is now 29-17 on the year, with a 12-12 record in the River States Conference. Next up will be a doubleheader at Point Park University on Thursday, April 28. The third game of the series is currently scheduled for Friday, if weather permits. This will be an important series for the Mighty Oaks who still have their eyes on qualifying for the River States Conference. Oakland City is currently sixth in the rankings and the top six teams qualify.
