Late rally

Late hit lifts Chaffee to 5-4 win over Oran

sd_sports@yahoo.com

CHAFFEE -- Alex Davie's go-ahead double in the seventh inning gave the Chaffee's Red Devils summer team the lift it needed, scoring Andrew Terhune from first to beat the Oran Eagles summer squad 5-4 Monday evening.

"We held them, played defense and then we scored when we needed to," Red Devil's coach Joe Bickings said. "That's always huge to stay in the game and just try to get the big hits when you get the chance."

After Oran started the game scoring two runs in the top of the first to take an early lead, Chaffee answered with four in the bottom of the frame, drawing three straight walks to start the game.

Following clean-up hitter Trevor Cannon's single that brought in the first run while leaving the bases-loaded, Davie connected for a double to left-center field that cleared the bases while putting the Red Devils up 4-2.

Both teams bats would cool off for the next three frames until, in the top of the fifth, when Oran would tie the game with a sacrifice fly scoring Nolan Urhahn from third, followed by a fielding error by the short stop scoring the tying run.

The two teams would continue to battle to a draw until Davie's second double of the night put Chaffee on top for good.

Davie's shot landed deep in left field and continued to roll, easily allowing a hustling Terhune to score from first, giving Chaffee the 5-4 win.

Going the full seven innings, Chaffee starter Alex Crowe picked up the win, allowing four runs on six hits and three walks while striking out five.

"He pitched pretty well for us," Bickings said. "He has a good little cutter and he throws strikes and that's the name of the game. Throw strikes and let your defense do the work."

Coming in to replace Eagles starter Trenton Hency after Hency walked the first three batters of the game, Tyler Schlitt took the loss.

Schlitt went on to pitch all seven innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits and three walks while striking out four.

"He did a great job," Oran coach Adam Friga said. "He threw strikes and didn't walk people. He challenged hitters and made them put it in play and we made a lot of plays behind him."

Though they came up a run short the Eagles out hit the Red Devils 6-4 on the contest. Bear Hicks and Dylan Dannenmueller led Oran with two hits apiece.

Half of Chaffee's offense came off the bat of Davie, whose two doubles led to four runs batted in.

The Red Devils other two hits from Cannon and Terhune who each had a single.

Things won't get any easier for the Red Devils in their next match up as they get set to play the Missouri Bulls, who feature a collection of local high school stand outs, today at 5:45 p.m. at Notre Dame high school.

"It's good competition for our kids," Bickings said. "They get to see a better level of competition.

"We're just going to go up there and look to win, but at the same time we know it's going to be tough."

Oran 200 020 0 - 4

Chaffee 400 000 1 - 5

WP -- Alex Crowe. LP -- Tyler Schlitt. Multiple hitters -- (O) Bear Hicks 2-3, Dylan Dannenmueller 2-2; (C) Alex Davie 2-3. 2B -- (C) Davie. 3B -- (C) Davie.