SW Indiana News

Slugfest In Game One, Tough Second Day for Mighty Oaks

The Mighty Oaks hosted the Brescia University Bearcats, for a three-game series of River States Conference play at League Stadium. Oakland City started off very hot on Friday, the second day of the series was a tough one for the home team.

Game 1

After the disappointment of last week's series versus IU Kokomo, where the Mighty Oaks got swept, they were hungry to get back in the win column. On a cold Friday afternoon, where the wind was blowing out to left field of League Stadium, it was due to be a day with a lot of offense.

The Oakland City hitters showed up in the first inning. An error, followed by a single from Sam Pinckert and a walk for Conner Oxley loaded the bases. Garrett Causey put the first two runs for the home team on the board, with a 2-RBI double.

In the second inning, it was another 2-RBI double, this time from Sam Pinckert, that doubled the score. That wasn't it however, as Pinckert was brought home on a two-run shot, deep over the left field wall, from Treven Madden.

Brescia scored their first run in the top of the fourth, with a solo homerun to centerfield.

The Mighty Oaks reassured their lead in the bottom half of the inning. Aron Busick led off with a double, he scored on a single from Sam Pinckert. A sacrifice fly from Conner Oxley and an RBI single from Garrett Causey made it a 1-9 ballgame. With two runners on still on base and two outs, Xander Willis went yard to left field, putting the score at 1-12.

Not much later, in the fifth inning, Treven Madden ran into another ball. Once again, a homerun to left field, this time a three-run shot. Conner Oxley followed with a walk; he would later score on an RBI single from Xander Willis. The score was now 1-16.

The Bearcats of Brescia University started off the sixth inning with back-to-back basehits. Gavin Raemes, who went yard earlier, grounded into a double play, but brought home a run while doing so.

An RBI single from pinch-hitter Noah Gilbert in the sixth brought home the final Mighty Oaks run. With the score being 2-17 after seven innings, the game was called due to the mercy rule.

Gehrig Tenhumberg and Blake Pruitt pitched for Oakland City. Tenhumberg earned the win, pitching six innings, allowing eight hits, two runs (both earned), while walking none and fanning five. Pruitt threw the last inning, in which he gave up one hit and struck out one.

Game 2

After yesterday's slugfest from Oakland City, the Mighty Oaks struggled on Saturday. In the second inning, Brescia took a 3-0 lead. A walk, two singles and a double got the visitors their early lead.

The Bearcats kept building on this lead, after four innings, the score was 7-0 in League Stadium. In the bottom half of the fifth inning, Aron Busick provided the only Mighty Oaks offense for the day with a two-run homerun to right centerfield. He brought home Xander Willis who got on base with a single.

Brescia would end up scoring two more in the top of the ninth, making it a 9-2 ballgame. This was the final score of the second game of the series.

Noah Baugher and Xander Willis led the Mighty Oaks with two hits.

On the mound, Tommy Johnson (L, 2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO), Christian Burgrabe (1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO), Weston Allen (1 IP, 2 H, 2 , 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO), Blake Mincey (3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO), Luke Osborn (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 SO) and Garrett Whiteker (1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO) all made appearances.

Game 3

After two high scoring games, game three was a very low scoring game. It took until the fifth inning before the first run was scored. A lead off triple for the Bearcats turned into the 1-0. One inning later, they doubled their lead with an RBI double.

In the bottom of the sixth, Noah Baugher got walked and ended up scoring. A single from Sam Pinckert allowed Baugher to get to third and he scored on a fielder's choice from Conner Oxley.

The Mighty Oaks were not able to score again and dropped another game to Brescia, this time with a score of 2-1.

Ben Simmons, the Oakland City starting pitcher, gave his team a good chance to win the series, but the offense stayed quiet all game. Simmons who got the loss, gave up five hits and two runs (earned), while walking three and striking out five. Tyler Butler came in out of the pen and threw 1.2 innings, giving up no hits or runs, while striking out one.

Original source can be found here.