BASEBALL: Claremore beats Collinsville for first time since 2017

Apr. 16—Despite the threat of Tuesday's inclement weather putting outdoor activities in jeopardy statewide, an emphatic storm put an end to a prolonged drought Monday night.

Thanks in part to an electrifying four-run sixth inning, Claremore defeated Collinsville for the first time since 2017 with a 7-0 District 5A-4 victory at Murray-Pixley Park's Legendary Legion Field to keep its hopes of hosting a regional alive. The Zebras entered the contest having lost five of the past six meetings while tying once, with their most recent win coming in a 3-1 decision on March 28, 2017.

Leading 3-0, Claremore (20-8 overall, 7-2 in District 5A-4) sprung together six of its 12 hits in the bottom of the sixth, each reverberating throughout the ballpark like resounding thunder while leaving the Cardinals' defense stunned like a dazzling flash of lightning.

Although Kellen Gaede and Saxton Pickup began the barrage with a pair of singles, it almost appeared short-lived because the hits were followed by a sacrifice bunt and a strikeout, respectively.

Brad Hoisington had other plans, though.

The junior plated two runs when he tripled on a fly ball to left field, and then it was Marcos Sallee's turn. Sallee followed with a triple of his own but of a different variety, hitting a line drive to center field to score Hoisington and make it a 6-0 spread.

Dan Harrington, as if he hadn't already contributed enough to the victory from the mound, then stepped to the plate and popped a single to right field, scoring Sallee for the final run of the game. He, Hoisington and Sallee had nearly identical stat lines, with each managing two hits and two RBIs

Harrington kept Collinsville (21-4, 8-1) off balance all night, upsetting its timing with five strikeouts in the full-game effort with only four hits and one walk allowed on 95 pitches.

Zach Hale, who also finished with two hits, opened the scoring when he found home on a passed ball in the second inning. The Zebras didn't score again until the fifth when Lucas Dupont scored on a Sallee sacrifice fly and Harrington drove in Hoisington with a ground ball to right field, pushing the advantage to 3-0.

JT Davis took the loss for the Cardinals despite recording six strikeouts, surrendering six hits, three runs and three walks on 92 pitches through five innings of work. Casey Marshall pitched one inning of relief but allowed six hits and four runs despite tossing 25 strikes on 35 pitches, striking out two.

Weather permitting, the teams will conclude the district series beginning at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Pat Colpitt Field in Collinsville. The Cardinals hold the second-place position behind Pryor in District 5A-4, but another loss would give Claremore the tiebreaker and a home regional if the teams remain tied after their final district series next week.