ARCOLA- The Deer Creek Warriors bats livened up in the late innings against the Calhoun Cougars Tuesday to claim an 11-5 victory and a 1-0 series leading in opening round of the MAIS 1A high school baseball playoffs.
The Warriors distanced themselves from a very tough opponent by sending 14 batters to the plate and scoring 11 runs in the top of the fifth. In the inning Ethan Allegrezza had two hits and knocked in three runs. His twin brother Noah along with Grayson”Pony” Tharp also had two hits and two RBI. Deer Creek had a commanding 11-3 lead after five innings.
“Their starting pitcher threw a good game and lost a little velocity later in the game,” said Deer Creek head coach Benny McLendon. “We started getting pitches that we could handle and hitting them very well. I thought our starting pitcher did well too.”
With hits scattered here and there for both teams and starters working out of jams, the game for the first few innings was a pitchers dual until the Cougars second baseman Kale Lovorn lined a single up the middle to score two runs to put the Cougars up 2-0. Calhoun led 3-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.
Calhoun added two more runs in the top of the sixth inning on an double by Peyton Christman.
“The victory is important, ”McLendon said. “But we’ve got to play better if we are going to achieve what we want to accomplish.”
Deer Creek mounted an early threat in the bottom of the third. Starting pitcher Carter Franks came to the plate with the bases load and two outs but fanned to end the inning.
The series shifts to Calhoun City Friday at 3 pm.
