The Antlers have lost four of their last five
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Deer Creek pitcher Connor Atkinson on the mound against Yukon, Monday, April 22. Taken by George McCormick
Deer Creek baseball hosted the Yukon Millers for game one of a home-and-home series Monday evening, falling in six innings by a score of 11-1.
After tying the game at 1-1 by the end of the first inning, Deer Creek picked up just two hits and no runs for the rest of the night thanks to Yukon pitcher Grady Hoke, who finished with nine strikeouts.
The Millers retook the lead in the second inning with three-straight runs on two hits to make it 4-1. A Cale Parr solo home run at the top of the third extended the lead to 5-1 until Antlers’ head coach Andrew McGuire subbed in Grant Richardson at relief pitcher.
Starting pitcher Connor Atkinson finished with three strikeouts and nine hits allowed through three innings.
Yukon continued the hot hitting streak with three more runs in the third to bring the score to 8-1. A wild pitch from Richardson allowed another Miller runner to reach home in the fourth, prompting Deer Creek to make another pitching change.
The substitution didn’t bring much help, as Yukon scored two more times as a result of another wild throw and an Antlers’ error. Yukon scored in every inning except one Monday.
The Millers eventually prompted a run rule after going up 11-1 in the sixth inning, giving them game one of the two-game series. Deer Creek has now given up 11 runs in two-straight contests.
Coach McGuire’s team is now even on the year with an overall record of 17-17. The Antlers have lost four of their last five games as the regular season winds to a close this month. They’ll finish the series at Yukon before playing their final game at Putnam City North on Thursday, April 25.