Lovelady Falls in Bi-District Heartbreaker
Lions Drop Best-of-3 Series 9-1, 5-7, 3-5
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
LOVELADY – The Lovelady Lions entered the postseason with high hopes. They had played well in District 21-2A, finishing second to the Centerville Tigers. The Lions had hit the ball well and their pitching had been strong throughout league play.
Their opponent in the first round of the postseason was the Cushing Bearkats. Cushing had finished third in District 22-2A and on paper, they didn’t seem to pose much of a threat to the Lions. However, that’s why they play the game.
The Lions opened the series in Cushing with a strong showing as they blasted the Bearkats by a final score of 9-1.
Lovelady scored two in the top of the first and two in the top of the second to take an early 4-1 lead. The Lions added another run in the top of the fourth and then plated two more in both the sixth and seventh innings.
EJ Sandoval picked up the win for Lovelady in Game One as he pitched a seven-inning complete game. Sandoval gave up one run on four hits, struck out five and walked one.
At the plate for Lovelady, Matthew Wheeler had a big day as he went 2-4 with three RBI. Sandoval also showed he could rake a little bit as he went 2-5 with three runs scored and two RBI. Jaxon Reeves also had a good day at the plate as he was 1-3 with two RBI, a run scored and two walks.
Game Two was a different story as it was Cushing that took the early lead. The Bearkats crossed the dish three times in the first inning and three more times in the third inning to take a 6-1 lead after three were in the books.
After the Bearkats scored a run in the sixth to make the score 7-1, the Lions cut the lead down to 7-3 in the bottom half of the frame. Lovelady held Cushing scoreless in the top of the seventh and when they came in for their final at bat, Lovelady still had a chance.
Jayton Crawford led off the bottom of the inning with a single to left. Slade Murray was up next and on a 2-2 pitch, Murray got all of it as he sent the ball for a ride over the left field fence to make the score 7-5.
That was as close as Lovelady would get, however, as Cushing went to the bullpen and brought in Gabe LeBlanc who retired the next three batters he faced to end the game with the Bearkats picking up the win, 7-5.
John Clowers took the loss for the Lions as he pitched two innings and gave up six runs on 10 hits. He also struck out one and walked one. LeBlanc picked up the win for Cushing.
Murray led the way at the plate as he was 1-3 with two RBI on his homerun. Brenton Crawford also had a strong performance at the plate as he was 2-2 with one RBI and a walk.
Thirty minutes after the end of Game Two, the Lions and Bearkats were back on the field for Game Three.
Carter Murray was on the hill for the Lions and he despite giving up a two-out triple in the first, Murray retired the other six batters he faced.
When Lovelady came in from the field in the second, the Lions scored the game’s first run. Jaxon Reeves led off the bottom of the second with a single by short. After Matthew Wheeler fanned, Brenton Crawford hit a little dribbler in front of the plate.
Reeves had already broken for second on the play and when the ball got by first base on the throw, Reeves scampered home to make the score 1-0. That was all the Lions would get, however, as the Bearkats managed to work themselves out of the inning without any further damage.
In the top of the third, Murray found himself in a pickle as he gave up a lead-off triple. That was all he gave up as he struck out the next two batters and then got a pop-up to second to end the top half of the frame.
Lovelady plated another run in the bottom of the third to make the score 2-0.
Cushing cut the lead in half in the top of the fourth but the Lions got the run back in their half of the inning to make the score 3-1 after four.
The score stayed that way until the top of the seventh when the Bearkats crossed the dish four times to take a 5-3 lead. The Lions had one more chance to pull out the game or send it into extra innings but came up short as the Bearkats held on to win the game and take the Bi-District Championship by two games to one advantage.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
