FLOWOOD — Oak Grove gets a massive region win on the road.
Behind a big sixth inning along with the pitching of Bradyn Murphy the Warriors knocked off Northwest Rankin 4-2 in a pivotal Region 3-7A matchup at Wesley Scarbrough Field on Tuesday night.
The Warriors (12-4, 3-0 Region 3-7A) and Cougars (15-4, 2-1) will meet again at Oak Grove on Friday night at 7 p.m.
“I thought Murphy pitched a really good game and we played pretty defense and Booth got a big timely hit when we needed,” said Oak Grove coach Chris McCardle. “We got a good group and they play hard, but we know what we got coming again on Friday because Northwest Rankin is really good and talented.”
Northwest Rankin struck first in the bottom of the first as Nelson Barthel scored on a single by Cameron Thompson.
The Cougars extended their lead to 2-0 in the fourth as Brooks Crawley scored on a groundout.
Oak Grove stranded the bases loaded three times in the first four innings, but in the sixth inning the Warriors were able to break through. With the bases loaded with two outs Vanderbilt signee E.J. Booth smacked a two-run single to center field to tie the game.
Oak Grove added the final two runs off a fielding error to take the 4-2 lead.
“Fortunately the ball kicked away and Booth is such a special player and he’s one of the few that can score a run on a play like that,” McCardle said. “We had some opportunities in the first few innings with bases loaded and one hit and Meehan pitched out of it and you expect a pitcher like that do that. We’re fortunate to get out of here with a win and hard to win anywhere on the road in our division.”
Booth and Alex Pickett had two hits each to lead Oak Grove offensively.
“Coming into this game we knew it was going to be a good game and couldn’t make many mistakes and in the first couple innings we left bases loaded and didn’t execute, but we didn’t get down we just kept fighting and as long as we hold them we could come back and we did,” Booth said. “This is a big win. Murphy pitched a great game and if we stayed focus and played defense everything else would come together.”
Murphy (6-1) got the win on the mound for Oak Grove lasting 6.1 innings allowing seven hits, two runs (both earned), three walks, and five strikeouts.”
“We came out I was hyped up and gave up a run in the first and had to let the nerves out, but kept throwing strikes and do what I had to do,” Murphy said. “Changeup was really working and pitching backwards was key against a really good line up with some great hitters. This was my biggest challenge so far this year, but we kept fighting and never gave up.”
Southern Miss signee Jackson Meehan took the loss on the mound for Northwest Rankin going 5.2 innings allowing six hits, four runs (three earned), three walks, and seven strikeouts.
“Jackson pitched well to get out of the jams and we just didn’t extended the lead when we had opportunities with runners on base and kept giving them chances. When you have good players like they have in E.J. Booth and he came through when they needed him too,” said Northwest Rankin coach K.K. Aldridge. “When you play good teams like we do in this region you can’t give them multiple chances and we didn’t play clean baseball. We will get back after it on Friday.”
