Powerful Patriots outslug Pioneers
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Oakland’s Blake Patterson connected for a two-out grand slam, capping a five-run sixth inning and propelling the Patriots to a 6-3 win.
With the loss, the Pioneers dropped to 4-5 in District 7-AAA play and 10-14 overall. Oakland improved to 17-7 on the season, and 6-2 in league play.
The Patriots, who have won their last six district games, drew first blood in Wednesday’s contest. With one out, Tye McCleary drew a walk, and came home to score when Cory Sorgenfrei belted a double to the left field wall.
The bottom of the Warren County order answered in their half of the second, however. Chase McGee, who returned to the lineup after missing Monday’s game with an injury, singled to lead off the second, and with two outs, Steven Ehrhardt slammed OHS starter Brad Robinson’s offering over the left field wall for his first homer of the season.
Warren County padded its narrow lead in the fifth, when Josh Bratcher was hit by a pitch and eventually scored on a Dylan Stephens sacrifice fly.
Just as in Saturday’s game against Blackman, however, the sixth inning proved to be deadly for the Pioneers.
Rusty Howard drew a walk to lead off the inning, and after Jordan Jones struck out McCleary singled to left. A double to left from Sorgenfrei plated Howard, then Tyler Burnett walked to load the bases with just one away.
Warren County’s Joey Haston, who had gotten out of jams in the third and fifth innings, looked to be on his way to escaping another tough frame, when he got Dougie Birkofer to ground the ball to first. Stephens fired home to retire McCleary with the second out of inning, but Patterson slammed a 2-1 offering from Haston over the outfield wall, clearing the bases and giving Oakland the eventual final margin of victory.
Haston and Ehrhardt reached in the sixth, but were left stranded, and the Pioneers were retired in order in the bottom of the seventh.
Haston gave up eight hits and all six Patriot runs, while fanning eight batters and walking sixth. He fell to 1-4 with the loss.
Robinson also went the distance, picking up the win with a three-run, five-hit night. He struck out eight, walked two and hit three batters.
Josh Bratcher, Jacob Bratcher, Stephens, McGee and Ehrhardt had the Pioneers’ five hits.
Warren County was going for its fifth district split of the season Thursday, when it traveled to Murfreesboro to complete the series with Oakland. The Pioneers will travel to Rhea County Saturday.