Baseball: Wildcats win 3 of last 5 district games, play Clinton Monday

 

The Oak Ridge Wildcats have won three of their last five district baseball games. They have three more district games this week, including one at home today (Monday, April 17) against Clinton and then another at Clinton on Tuesday.

The Wildcats (9-10, 3-4 District 3-AAA) will then travel to Halls on Thursday.

Today’s varsity game against Clinton (10-15, 1-6) is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. at Bobby Hopkins Park. The junior varsity game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

Here are summaries of recent district games:

 

Oak Ridge vs. Powell, March 31

Oak Ridge lost the first of the five recent district games 6-4 to Powell, which is undefeated in District 3-AAA, on Friday, March 31. It was at home on Bobby Hopkins Park.

“They’re always one of the best teams in the district,” Wildcats Coach Mark Garrison said. “We competed with them well.”

The Panthers dominated the first five or six innings with sophomore left-handed pitcher Matt Grim, Garrison said. Grim threw six innings with zero runs, eight strikeouts, and four walks. He has a really good curve ball and really good off-speed pitches, Garrison said.

Once the Wildcats got past Grim, Garrison said, they were able to fight with the Panthers at the end, scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh against a reliever. Powell then brought in ace Levi Everett to close out the game, he said.

Powell scored one run in the first inning and two more in the fifth. They scored three more in the top of the seventh before Oak Ridge answered with four runs of its own in the bottom of the seventh.

 

Oak Ridge vs. Campbell County double-header, April 4

Oak Ridge was playing shorthanded and injured during these games. They didn’t dominate the Cougars, but they beat them twice.

“Any district wins are important wins,” Garrison said.

The Wildcats won the first game of this double-header at home 6-3. They defeated the Cougars in the second game 9-4.

Oak Ridge junior pitcher Ian Campbell got the win in the first game, Garrison said. He scattered eight hits over six innings with three earned runs, 11 strikeouts, and one walk. Junior Logan Williams got the save, throwing in the last inning and striking out two of three batters.

Freshman Chris Van Hook was 2-for-3 at bat, and Williams had two hits and two runs batted in, Garrison said.

Senior Brice Mlekodaj had two hits and two RBIs, and Campbell had two hits.

Campbell County scored two runs in the first inning, but Oak Ridge tied the Cougars in the third. The fourth inning was scoreless. The Wildcats scored three in the fifth, and Campbell County answered with one run in the sixth. Oak Ridge scored its final run in the sixth, and the seventh inning was scoreless.

The Wildcats got off to a quicker start in the second game of the night, scoring three runs in the first inning, when Campbell County answered with one. The second inning was scoreless, and the Wildcats added two more runs in the third, one in the fourth, and two in the fifth. Campbell County answered with two runs in the fourth. Both teams scored one run each in the sixth inning, and there was no score in the seventh.

Williams scattered four hits over 5.2 innings in this second game of the night, Garrison said, with four runs (three earned), eight strikeouts, and three walks.

Van Hook pitched for 1.1 innings, picking up the save with two strikeouts.

Senior Lukas Gurley had two hits and scored two runs. Williams was 2-for-4 at bat, scoring two runs. Junior catcher Jacob Ownby had a big hit and three RBIs (a sacrifice fly and two-RBI single), Garrison said.

Campbell had a triple, and Van Hook had a double, Garrison said.

 

Oak Ridge vs. Anderson County, April 10 and 11

The Wildcats beat Anderson County 11-1 in five innings at home in the first of two meetings on Monday last week. Oak Ridge then lost the second game 7-4 at Anderson County on Tuesday.

You can see our story on the 11-1 win over Anderson County last Monday here. It was the first game back for pitcher Seth Caldwell, and he threw a complete game with 71 pitches. He also had two hits, a single and a double, Garrison said

More information will be added as it becomes available.

You can see the baseball season schedule here.

See more photos from the Oak Ridge-Powell game here.

See more photos from the Oak Ridge-Campbell County games here.

See story on the 11-1 win over Anderson County last Monday here.

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