Jeff Harrison
The Edmond Sun
DAPHNE, Ala. —
Tuesday night’s win may have taken a lot out of the Deer Creek baseball team, but they still had plenty left to hold off Itawamba (Miss.) in the third day of the Oklahoma/Alabama Challenge. The Antlers nearly saw their five-run lead slip away in the top of the seventh, but Tyler Price was able to come in and nail down the final out for the 5-3 win at Daphne High School (Ala.).
“It was a pretty good ball game,” Deer Creek coach Ron Moore said. “After the emotional game last night that was big for us to just come back out and get another win. Hopefully we can get a ‘W’ tomorrow and finish up Alabama trip.”
Price also had a big game at the plate as he went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Ross Stracke was also 2-for-3 with a triple and an RBI.
Deer Creek (10-0) took the lead in the bottom of the second inning with some keen base running. Andrew Harlan reached on a fielder’s choice and Stracke followed it up with a single. The pair later took off on a double steal and Itawamba threw the ball away, allowing Harlan to scamper home for an early 1-0 lead.
The Antlers turned the slim lead into a comfortable five-run cushion in the sixth. Brian Anderson singled and later scored when Isaac Hellbush reached safely on an error by the third baseman. Price then made it a four-run game with a two-run single, before Stracke capped the rally with an RBI triple.
After six scoreless frames, Itawamba made some noise in their last atbats. Zach King, who had allowed just one hit all game, surrendered three runs in the seventh before Price came in for the save.
“Zach threw well today and just ran out of gas, but then Tyler came in and got the save,” Moore said.
King earned the win for Deer Creek as he went 7 2/3 innings. The senior struck out eight and gave up three runs on four hits.
Deer Creek wraps up festival play today against Childersburg (Ala.) First pitch is set for 4 p.m. at Spanish Fort.
