Orioles Stumble over Two Bad Innings

Orioles Stumble over Two Bad Innings

Coming off of two disappointing losses to McCook Central and Garretson, Lennox was due to face the defending Region 3 champions, the West Central Trojans. The Trojans were coming into the game at 3-0 beating Sioux Falls Christian, Garretson and Canton. Lennox as you know was 0-4 falling to Beresford and Sioux Falls Christian along with the two teams mentioned above. The Orioles gave the ball to Sophomore Braedon Wallenstein in hopes to get win number one. As for West Central, they would pitch Junior Blake Svoboda in attempts for win number four.

The Orioles have had success in the first inning defensively this season. A total of thirteen batters have come to the plate for the opponent in the first inning and twelve of the thirteen batters have been called out somehow. In the first of this game, Wallenstein gave up a leadoff walk which lead to a ground out and two fly outs which would end the inning. The Orioles would have Jacob Lackas hit a leadoff single. Oldenkamp’s fly out lead to Lackas getting caught stealing. That’s when Tyler Leisinger walked and Raysby grounded out to end the first inning. In the second, two ground outs and a fly out made mincemeat of West Central to end the top half of the second. Lennox had no answer as Sweeter flew out, Kayl struck out and Stein flew out. In the third inning, four walks along with two singles, a double and a home run led to six runs scoring and Devon Jongeling coming into pitch. Jongeling got a ground out and a fly out to quickly end a big inning for West Central. A leadoff single by Jongeling led to nothing as Levi Buckneberg flew out, Lackas struck out and Oldenkamp lined out. It was six to zero after three innings.

In the fourth, Jongeling gave up a single and a walk, however two groundouts and a strikeout would allow no one to score. In the bottom of the fourth, Leisinger struck out, Raysby walked, Sweeter grounded out, and Nick Kayl struck out to end the inning with again, no fight from Lennox. In the fifth inning, a walk, six singles, and two hit batters led to eight runs scoring and Jacob Lackas to come in as the pitcher. Lackas earned a fly out and a strikeout to end the fifth and Lennox was on crunch time. If Lennox didn’t score five runs, then Lennox would lose by the ten run rule. Brock Stein reached on error, Tyler Johnson struck out, Levi Buckneberg struck out, Jacob Lackas reached on error, and Oldenkamp hit a single followed by two RBI walks made it fourteen to two. After a meeting on the mound, Sweeter came up and worked the count for a fielder’s choice ground out to end the inning and the game.

The Orioles showed some signs of trouble and ended up losing to a very good West Central team. The Orioles never quit and showed in the last inning that they can battle with a good team.