LocalSportsJournal.com
The Oakridge baseball team rallied for three runs in the sixth inning to beat Morley-Stanwood 5-4 on Saturday in the Division 3 regional championship game at Newaygo High School.
The Eagles qualified for the title game by beating LeRoy Pine River 6-3 earlier in the day.
Oakridge will play Traverse City St. Francis on Tuesday in the Division 3 state quarterfinals at Traverse City West. The winner will move on to Friday’s semifinals.
Two other local baseball squads were eliminated in regionals Saturday. Whitehall lost to Petoskey 9-1 in Division 2 regional semifinals at Cadillac while Spring Lake lost to Hamilton 6-2 in Division 2 regional semifinals at Hope College.
Nate Wahr throws the pitch for Oakridge. Wahr posted both wins on the hill for the Eagles. Photo/Sherry Wahr
The Eagles trailed for most of the championship game. They fell behind 3-0 before Morgan Meineers hit a two-run single to pull Oakridge within one run.
The comeback was completed in the sixth with Brock Luttrell’s RBI single and Hunter Benson’s two-run double.
Nate Wahr pitched both victories for the Eagles, who used six different pitchers on the day.
Oakridge had to capture the tournament title without pitcher Wyatt Hilton, who was ejected in the first inning of the semifinals against Pine River.
He was breaking for home plate from third base on a failed suicide squeeze play and collided with the catcher, leading to the ejection for both games of the tournament.
“I’m proud that our guys were able to play through despite the fact that we lost one of our best pitchers,” said Oakridge Coach Brandon Barry. “It was a complete team effort. Everyone had to step up.”
