OXFORD – Oxford hosted the Bainbridge-Guilford baseball and softball teams on Monday, April 17 – splitting the results as Oxford baseball won 9-7, while Bainbridge-Guilford softball snagged a 27-1 victory.

Baseball is just a game, right? Oxford holds on for 9-7 win

The tensions were through the roof for the showdown between Oxford and Bainbridge-Guilford baseball – with multiple flareups and times outs due to angry fans who thought the game should be called differently.

Despite the use of outside influences to help fuel each side – it was in fact the Bobcats of B-G who saw themselves in the drivers seat come the top of the third inning.

After a relatively quiet first and second inning, Bainbridge-Guilford strung together a solid two-run third inning to take the 2-0 lead. It was Trevor Halaquist with the big bat early on for B-G as he hit a long home run, recording the the RBI of teammate Sean Jones as well.

Oxford’s Brad Beckwith had other plans in the third. With Dylan Depew already on base – reach first on an error – Beckwith smashed a double on a line drive to right field, allowing Depew to race home. That opened the floodgates for the game.

With bases loaded, B-G’s Pete Ouimet failed to find the strike-zone, walking Jon Heggie of Oxford – and handing the lead to Oxford with a Matt Roach walk home.

The runs for the Blackhawks were not done just yet. Austin Crawford stepped to the plate with bases loaded, and slammed a double to deep right field – snagging three RBI’s on the play as Noah Robb, Connor Lawton, and Jon Heggie all rounded the bases for runs – Oxford led 6-2.

A switch from Halaquist to Sean Jones at pitching for B-G proved to be no better. Jones surrendered a triple to Dylan Depew who helped out Crawford with the eighth run of the inning for Oxford, and the 8-2 lead.

Tensions mounted, ejections were suggested toward the B-G bench and fan-section. However, with two outs in the books, Jones was able to salvage the inning and emerge from the bottom of the third with a third strikeout.

The Bobcats would sneak onto the board with a run in the fourth inning when a sacrifice from Cameron Luca sent Brent Rideout home for the run.

However, walks proved to be the issue for the B-G pitchers. With bases loaded due to walking Depew, it was in fact another walk that sent Oxford home for their ninth run of the game.

B-G would give one last ditch effort late in the seventh inning at a comeback – scoring four runs to make it 9-7 – however, Oxford was able to hold on for the home win.

Oxford saw Jon Heggie take the win on the mound with his four innings pitcher and five walks to just two walks. Austin Crawford would finish out the final three innings for the Blackhawks with six strikeouts and one walk.

Pete Ouimet recorded the road loss for B-G with his 2.2 innings pitched, having eight strikeouts, and nine walks. Sean Jones finished off the game on the mound for the Bobcats, snagging another eight strikeouts and three walks.

Oxford would take the win despite having only three hits and seven errors – as Crawford, Depew, and Beckwith each snagged one a piece.

B-G would record a massive nine hits, despite the loss and having only two errors, Halaquist and Jon Castle would each go 2-4 for the Bobcats, while Cameron Luca recorded three RBI’s.

Next up for Oxford (1-3-1 overall), they will play next at Sidney on Wednesday, April 19, at 4:30 p.m., Bainbridge-Guilford (3-2 overall), they will play next on Wednesday, April 19, at home against Harpursville at 4:30 p.m.

 

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