Patriots pummel Pioneers – Oakland surges ahead in 3rd on way to 13-1 win
A trip to face a nationally ranked foe didn?t last as long as the Pioneers hoped Monday night; and it certainly didn?t have the end result Warren County was looking for.
The District 7-leading Oakland Patriots ? who entered the game ranked No. 1 in Tennessee and No. 10 in the country ? blew open a scoreless tie after two innings, and sent their entire lineup to the plate in two straight frames as they improved to 32-1 on the year with a 13-1 blowout.
Warren County dropped to 13-16 on the year and 6-5 in league play with the loss. The Patriots remained on top of the 7-AAA standings at 10-1, and could clinch the regular-season title with a win in Tuesday?s rematch with the Pioneers.
Josh Mullins took the loss for WCHS, dropping to 4-3 on the season after allowing 11 runs on 12 hits and three walks through 3 1/3 innings on the mound. Freshman Dakota Taylor came on in the fourth, giving up the Pats? final two runs on three hits.
Mullins had little trouble with the Patriots their first time through the order, allowing just one hit and a walk before giving up a one-out bunt single to Oakland?s No. 9 hitter, Andrew McGowan, in the third. A fly ball from Tyler Burnett had Pioneer fans thinking they might dodge another bullet, but Tennyson Dodd came through with an RBI single, and the Patriots? P.J. Polk and Drew Fann followed with back-to-back home runs, putting the home club on top 4-0. Marcus Barnes singled, Phillip Parsley drew a walk and Seth McConnell singled home another run before Mullins fanned Scott Ward to end the frame.
Already ahead 5-0, the Patriots went right back to work in the fourth, beginning when Burnett belted a one-out double to right. Dodd singled him home with a shot to left-center, and Polk legged out an infield single to put runners at the corners.
A wild pitch to Drew Fann scored Dodd, and Fann drew a walk, setting the stage for an RBI double off the bat of Barnes and a two-run single from Parsley which chased Mullins from the mound in favor of Taylor.
With two out in the inning Ward singled home Parsley, and came home himself on a McGowan double. Burnett got his second hit of the inning, a single to left, to bring home McGowan with the Patriots? final run of the game.
The lone offensive bright spot for the Pioneers came in the top of the fifth, when Justin Bouldin slammed a solo homer to left after Mark Harvey and Derrin Rogers had fanned for the first two outs of the frame. Chase Basham struck out swinging for the final out of the game, however, giving the win to Oakland?s Brett Wilson, who improved to 7-0 on the season.
Bouldin and Kyle Mullican had the Pioneers? only hits on the night. Lane McCoy, who reached when he was hit by a pitch in the fourth, and Clint Newman, who drew a walk during that same inning, were the only other WCHS players to reach base.
Tuesday?s game, scheduled to be played at Patrick Ramsey Field, had not been completed by Tuesday?s press deadline. A full report will appear in Friday?s sports section.