Semoball

Oran baseball is back at it again

The Oran baseball team departs its dugout after beating Cooter 4-0 in a Class 1 baseball sectional recently in Cooter.
Dustin Ward ~ Delta Dunklin Democrat

The Oran baseball program has built a tradition of thriving in critical postseason games and a year away from the diamond has done nothing to diminish that experience.

The Eagles (22-4) advanced to their 13th MSHSAA Final Four with an 11-1 rout of Norwood on Wednesday in Oran.

Oran moves on to face Green City (12-3) on Monday at 11 a.m. at the US Ballpark outside of Springfield.

In Wednesday’s win, the Eagles didn’t get on the board in their opening at-bat, but they sure did in the second inning.

Oran scored seven runs to put the game out of reach quickly.

“We’ve got a pretty good batting average up and down our lineup,” Oran coach Joe Bickings told Semoball.com recently. “Somebody steps up for us every game and gets a big hit."

Just about every Eagle hitter did on Wednesday.

Seven of the 10 Oran hitters made at least one connection, including senior Carter Heuring, who led the way with three hits.

Sophomore Nic Massey got the offense going in the second inning by drawing a leadoff walk. Bickings sent freshman Nolan Loper in to run for Massey and Loper moved to second base when Seth Cauble was hit by a Norwood pitch.

Sophomore Luke Peterson successfully loaded the bases with a bunt, before Loper and Cauble came home on a Norwood error to take a 2-1 lead.

Peterson was sacrificed home for a 3-1 margin before Heuring reached on a single and later stole second.

Kolten Payne and Ty Johnson were hit by consecutive pitches, while Heuring and Payne scored on an RBI single by Kaden Hargrove for a 5-1 score.

Massey hit for the second time in the inning and brought Johnson home for a 6-1 advantage, while Hargrove put his team up 7-1.

As a team, Oran pounded out 10 hits.

“We’ve been really patient at the plate the last few games,” Bickings said recently of his offense. “That’s helped us out a bunch. We like to hunt the fastball. We can handle the curveball as well but it’s a little bit easier handling the fastball.”

Huering and Payne added runs in the third inning, while Peterson and Kern finished off the game by scoring in the sixth.

Heuring had a couple of runs scored, while Hargrove added two hits, three RBI, and a run scored.

Dawson Menz added a hit and an RBI in the win, while Payne (two hits, two walks), Johnson (one run), Massey (one hit, two RBI, one walk), Cauble (one hit, one run), Peterson (one hit, two runs, one walk), Kern (one hit, one run, two RBI), and Loper (one run) also contributed.

Hargrove took the win on the mound after throwing 6 1/3 innings. He allowed just two hits, one earned run, while striking out six and walking one.

Oran (22-4) will be seeking its third state title next week having won championships most recently in 2018 and 2013.

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