LocalSportsJournal.com
The Oakridge baseball team looked like it had the necessary momentum early its Division 3 state quarterfinal matchup with Gladstone on Tuesday.
But a 4-0 third inning lead dissipated into a 4-4 tie late in the game, and eventually the Eagles lost 6-5 in 10 innings at Traverse City West High School.
Jaegar Beattie throws the pitch for Oakridge. Photo/Sherry Wahr
Oakridge finished the season with an outstanding 31-6 record.
Jordan Fairchild led Oakridge at the plate, getting three RBI singles that included one in the third inning to put the Eagles up 4-0. Hunter Benson also had three hits and Brady Luttrull had an RBI single for Oakridge.
Gladstone rallied to tie the score with a run in the fourth inning and three more in the fifth.
“We were coasting along and just could never get anything else going,” said Oakridge Coach Brandon Barry. “We just couldn’t manufacture our stuff. We started out hot but we went silent.”
Kolin Chahorski’s RBI single in the seventh gave Oakridge a 5-4 lead, but Gladstone responded in the bottom half of the inning by loading the bases and eventually scoring the tying run.
Hunter Garling’s walk-off homer in the 10th inning with two outs sealed Oakridge’s fate.
“Losses are horrible at any time, especially in the quarterfinals, but you realize there’s a lot worse things that can happen than losing a baseball game,” Barry said.
