OKMULGEE - The Okmulgee Bulldog varsity baseball team is currently seeking answers following a 4-game losing streak last weekend to begin the 2019 campaign. The Bulldogs have been outscored 51-4
OKMULGEE - The Okmulgee Bulldog varsity baseball team is currently seeking answers following a 4-game losing streak last weekend to begin the 2019 campaign.
The Bulldogs have been outscored 51-4 in their first four games, including being shutout the last two.
The Okmulgee squad kicked off 2019 under new head coach Shane Bevan last Thursday with a 12-2 loss to the host Warner Eagles. In the opener, the Bulldogs led 2-1 before watching Warner plate 11 runs to hand the OHS diamond squad the 10-run defeat.
Last Friday, the Bulldogs opened the home portion of their 2019 schedule, taking on the Depew Hornets. For the second-straight game, the Okmulgee squad watched an early lead disappear with the Bulldogs coming up on the short end of a 4-2 setback.
The Bulldogs also battled the Valliant Bulldogs last Friday at Morgan Field at Bateman Park, suffering a 15-0 defeat, while being no-hit in the 3-inning contest.
The Okmulgee losing streak reached four games last Saturday with a 20-0 loss to the visiting Porter Pirates.
The Bulldogs will continue the search for their first win of 2019 this Friday at home against the Catoosa Indians at 5 p.m. at Morgan Field at Bateman Park.
In last Friday's home opener against Depew, the Bulldogs drew first scoring blood in the bottom of the first on a 2-run double by Justin James.
After a scoreless second, the visitors plated three runs in the top of the third, then added a run in the fifth for the 4-2 outcome.
Kaden Ballard was saddled with the pitching loss for Okmulgee against Depew. Ballard went the full five innings on the mound for the Bulldogs, allowing four runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts, one walk, and one hit batter.
Besides James' 2-run single in the first, the other three Okmulgee hits against Depew came on singles by Ballard, Xander Dunn, and Dylan Evans.
Other Bulldog baserunners in the home opener were Evans (walk), Dunn (fielder's choice), Cameron Colpitt (error), and Melic Jefferson (fielder's choice).
In last Friday's battle against Valliant, the visitors opened the scoring with nine runs in the top of the first, then added five in the second and one in the third to hand the host Okmulgee squad the 15-0, run-rule, defeat.
Justin James got the start on the mound for Okmulgee and was saddled with the pitching loss. James lasted just two-thirds of an inning, giving up nine runs on four hits with two strikeouts and three walks. Dylan Evans took over in the first, working one and one-third innings of relief, allowing five runs on one hit, striking out one, walking two, and hitting two.
Xander Dunn worked the third inning in relief for the Bulldogs, giving up one run on one hit with one walk in his inning of relief.
The only baserunners for Okmulgee against Valliant were Cameron Colpitt (error), Brendan McCall (walk), Melic Jefferson (error), and Micah Wilson (error).
In last Saturday's home battle with Porter, the visitors scored in every inning, plating six runs in the first, two in the second, three in the third, and nine in the fourth for the 20-0 decision.
Cameron Colpitt had two of the three Okmulgee hits in the contest - both singles. The other base hit for the Bulldogs against Porter came on a single by Aaron Morgan.
Other baserunners against Porter were Morgan (fielder's choice), Xander Dunn (fielder's choice), and Kaden Ballard (hit by pitch).
Dylan Evans absorbed the pitching loss for Okmulgee, giving up eight runs on four hits with four walks and three hit batters in an inning and two-thirds of work.
Brendan McCall worked the next inning and two-thirds in relief, allowing 11 runs on six hits with three walks and three hit batters.
Colpitt worked the final two-thirds of an inning in relief for the Bulldogs, giving up one run on two hits, striking out one and hitting a batter.