By Fred Kroner
fred@mahometnews.com
Oakwood needed a late-game rally to salvage a win in the Tuesday (Sept. 22) Class 2A regional opener at home against Iroquois West.
The Knights took the lead with a two-run first inning, but fell behind, 3-2, in the next inning and trailed 4-2 before erupting for eight runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Chase Harrison had three hits to pace Oakwood’s 10-hit attack. Teammate Bryson Marcinko laced two hits.
Jackson Dudley drove in two runs while Harrison and Cooper Hutson delivered two RBI apiece.
Loudyn Hughes worked the first four innings and struck out six. Dudley (3-1) earned the win with three innings of relief. He fanned five and allowed one run.
In the regular-season finale, Hughes pitched his second shutout of the season for the Knights on Thursday (Sept. 17) with a 13-0 win at home over Gifford.
Hughes (3-0) pitched all four innings, yielding one hit and striking out five batters.
Leading Oakwood’s offensive attack were Dudley, Jake Garrison and Brandt Hobick, each with two hits. Hutson drove in three runs while Hobick and Marcinko had two RBI apiece.
Hughes reached base twice with walks.
The Knights scored four runs in the first inning and plated their other nine runs in the second inning.
Oakwood (10-1) returns to action on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the regional championship game at home. The top-seeded Knights will face third-seeded Bismarck-Henning, which posted a shutout in Tuesday’s semifinal round.
