Pioneers slammed in 7-AAA opener
Warren County’s District 7-AAA baseball season got off to a rocky start Tuesday night.
The Pioneers managed just one hit, while Oakland used a six-run fourth and a strong outing from starter Brad Robinson to take a 10-0, five-inning win.
Robinson, a junior, was perfect through four innings before giving up back-to-back walks to the Pioneers’ Tyler Herriman and Glenn Rogers, who returned to the lineup after missing the team’s first five games. Herriman was caught stealing, and Rogers was left stranded on the base paths, when Robinson fanned John Morrison to end the inning.
“I was just trying to get first-pitch strikes with the fastball and work from there,” Robinson told The Daily News Journal. “I got a good start, then they drove a few to center field, but I settled down after that.”
Offensively, the Patriots, plated a run in the first and two more in the third, then blew the game open with a six-run fourth which saw the first eight batters of the inning reach base. A two-run single from Steven Watson and RBIs from Michael Richardson, Ben Balch and Matt Northcutt highlighted the frame.
Warren County’s only hit came in the top of the sixth, when Joshua Bratcher caught the ball with the handle of his bat, sending it down the first base line. Robinson picked up the grounder, but missed the tag and was late with his throw to first.
After a walk to Matt Brown and a fielder’s choice from Herriman, Robinson struck out Rogers to end the Pioneer threat. Oakland then plated its final run in the bottom of the inning, when Robby Howard singled home Richardson to end the game via the 10-run mercy rule.
Robinson fanned 11 batters and walked just three in the win, improving his personal record to 2-0 while the Patriots upped their mark to 4-3 overall and 1-0 in 7-AAA play. Joey Haston took the loss for the Pioneers, allowing seven hits and nine runs through four innings. Haston dropped to 1-1 on the year.
Wednesday’s second game of the two-day series was rained out, and rescheduled for Thursday night. The Pioneers return to action Saturday at home against Cumberland County. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.