During Senior Day weekend, the Mighty Oaks faced the Crimson Pride of IUPU Columbus. In a three-game series, the Oaks took care of business, as they outscored their opponent 41-7. Before the game on Sunday, eight Mighty Oaks Seniors were recognized.
Game 1
In a slugfest, the Mighty Oaks started their offense early as they scored a run on both the first in second inning, thanks to RBIs from
Oliver Hamilton and
Marcos Arocho. The real offense came in the third inning when
Aron Busick led off with a double,
Oliver Hamilton got on after being hit by a pitch. With two runners on,
Xander Willis deposited a ball over the left field fence for a 3-run homerun.
Alec Pruitt followed with a double, his courtesy runner
Kaden Hurless ended up scoring the 6-0 on a single from
Marcos Arocho.
The IUPUC Crimson Pride scored three runs in the top of the fifth, which was all the offense they were able to manufacture in game one of the series. On basehits from
Marcos Arocho and
Fred Fernandez in the bottom of the seventh, the Mighty Oaks were able to add four more runs, putting Oakland City up 11-3. An inning later,
Sam Pinckert ended the game with a 2-run homerun to left field. This put the score at 13-3, making it a mercy rule factory after eight innings of play.
Gehrig Tenhumberg started the game and earned the win in six innings. He allowed eight hits, three runs (all unearned), while walking one and fanning nine.
Cole Lambird came in in relief, he threw two innings of scoreless baseball in which he gave up three hits and one walk, as he collected three strikeouts.
Game 2
The Mighty Oaks offense stayed hot in the second game of the day on Saturday. After
Aron Busick got on base with a single, he stole second base and was later driven in on a double from
Oliver Hamilton. Hamilton's courtesy runner
Kaden Hurless later scored when
Xander Willis reached base on an error by the Crimson Pride shortstop. Oakland City added six runs in the second. Singles from
Marcos Arocho,
Leyton Ivers and
Aron Busick were followed by a 3-run homerun from
Oliver Hamilton.
In the bottom of the fourth, Hamilton continued his offensive hot streak, as he collected a double that drove in the tenth and eleventh run of the game for the Mighty Oaks. IUPUC would come around and score three runs in the top of the fifth, but once again, this was all they could do in this game.
The Mighty Oaks added some more, as
Sam Pinckert collected his second homerun of the day, this one was a solo shot to put the Oaks up 12-3.
Kaden Hurless would single home
Marcos Arocho before
Kendric Sorgius drove in Hurless with an RBI double.
Oliver Hamilton followed with a single, this allowed Sorgius to score.
Xander Willis added the cherry on the cake with a two-run homerun to left field. This deep fly put the Mighty Oaks up 17-3, which was the final score at Konkler Field.
The starting pitcher for Oakland City was
Benjamen Simmons. He earned the win, throwing 4.2 innings, while allowing two hits, three runs (two earned), while walking three and striking out five.
Hunter Callahan (1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO) and
Blake Pruitt (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO) came in out of the bullpen.
Game 3
Before the game on Sunday, eight Mighty Oaks seniors were recognized.
Alec Pruitt,
Noah Baugher,
Sam Pinckert,
Milan van der Breggen,
Aron Busick,
Thomas King,
Blake Pruitt and
Hunter Callahan were highlighted during Senior Day, as they conclude their college baseball career after the 2024 season.
The Mighty Oaks put up a five spot in the bottom of the second to take the lead.
Xander Willis started with a homerun to make it 1-0. With two outs in the innings,
Marcos Arocho doubled.
Leyton Ivers followed with a homerun to put the Oaks up by three. After a bunt single from
Aron Busick,
Noah Baugher followed with another homerun.
An inning later, another homerun followed, this one came from catcher
Oliver Hamilton, putting the Mighty Oaks up 6-0.
Noah Baugher drove in the seventh run of the day with a double that allowed
Aron Busick to score, in the bottom of the fourth. After two walks and a
Sam Pinckert 2-RBI single, Oakland City was up 9-0.
Aron Busick later allowed Pinckert to score, when he tripled to left field.
IUPUC scored their first run in the seventh inning, which meant the Mighty Oaks needed one run to win in mercy rule fashion.
Marcos Arocho provided this run in the bottom half of the inning, as he went yard to deep left field. The final score was 11-1 after seven innings.
Thomas King provided six quality innings on the bump, he allowed two hits and no runs, while walking two and striking out ten.
Milan van der Breggen came in out of the bullpen, in one inning of work, he allowed one hit and a run (earned), while walking none and fanning one.
Next up for Oakland City will be a home game versus Kentucky State University, this will take place on Tuesday. The Oaks will travel to Brescia throughout the weekend to face the Bearcats in the last River States Conference series of the regular season.
