Memorial loses third-straight after leading early in this Week's The Edmond Way Game of the week
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Edmond Memorial pitcher Caleb Hines throws against Choctaw on Monday, April 8. Photo by George McCormick.
Edmond Memorial baseball led 4-1 heading into the final inning of play against Choctaw on Monday.
One comeback by the Yellowjackets and two extra innings later, the Bulldogs found themselves the losers of their third-straight matchup as they fall, 7-5, at home.
After an uneventful first three innings that saw no scores (neither team had a runner reach second base until Memorial accomplished it in the bottom of the fourth), Cooper Kardokus got the action started with an RBI double, which led to three more runs by the end of the fourth to put Memorial up 4-0.
Bulldogs’ starting pitcher Caleb Hines allowed just four hits through five innings on a day which saw him eclipse the 100-pitch mark. His first slip-up came in the sixth inning when four-straight Choctaw batters got on base, putting a point on the board for the Yellowjackets before Hines ended the period.
Hines’ day ended in the seventh and final inning, being subbed out by coach JP Holman for relief pitcher Noah Humphreys. The right-handed junior finished with eight strikeouts on the day.
Down 4-1, Choctaw rallied for four hits in the final inning to snuff out the Memorial lead and tie the game at 4-4. Not long after, a fifth hit caused by an error from the Bulldogs’ first baseman allowed another Choctaw runner to score, giving the Yellowjackets a 5-4 advantage.
Fortunately for the home team, an error from the Choctaw defense allowed Jay Stefansky to tie the game once more with an RBI single, sending the two teams to extra innings.
The score remained tied after the eighth inning. It wasn’t until the top of the ninth that Memorial allowed three-straight hits, getting two Choctaw runners to home plate to take a two-run lead.
The Bulldogs failed to respond during their final at-bats as Choctaw completed the comeback by winning 7-5 on the road, marking three straight losses for Edmond Memorial.
Coach JP Holman and the Bulldogs drop the first game of a home-and-home series with Choctaw. The two teams face off again Tuesday before Memorial travels to Tulsa to compete in the Spartan/Tiger Turf War Festival from April 11-13.