BASEBALL: Hoisington gives Claremore walkoff victory in Zebra/Tiger Classic
Mar. 29—In a game full of big hits, Brad Hoisington served as the offensive highlight for Claremore.
The junior took the first pitch of the at-bat and sent it on a line drive to left field, and Saxton Pickup and Lucas Dupont raced around the bases as Hoisington's 2-RBI double gave the Zebras a dramatic 11-10 victory over Lincoln Christian in the Zebra/Tiger Classic on Thursday morning in Murray-Pixley Park at Legendary Legion Field.
The double was the second of the game for Hoisington, who notched four hits in six appearances at the plate while also reaching on a fielder's choice and drawing a walk. His first double was also a line drive to left field in the first inning, and Marcos Sallee plated him two pitches later with a triple to give Claremore a 1-0 lead.
Hoisington, a transfer from Oologah, never had to wait long to return home upon reaching base, scoring four runs while being stranded only once.
Prior to the game-winning hit, the Zebras let a 9-6 lead slip away in the top of the seventh when the Bulldogs used a 2-RBI triple from Kylan Schultheis and a Luke Franks double to even the tally.
Claremore had the bases loaded with only one out in the bottom half, but Lincoln Christian achieved a double play to force extra innings. The Bulldogs then took the lead in the eighth when they scored off a sacrifice bunt from Carter Ricke.
However, singles from Pickup and Izaak McMahan — as well as the Lincoln Christian pitcher hitting Tyler Osgood — set up Hoisington for his game-winning heroics.
After Sallee's triple scored Hoisington for the first run of the game, Zach Hale drove in Sallee with a single to center field on the next pitch. Later, Connor Rowe stole home to increase the Zebras' edge to 3-0.
The Bulldogs cut into the lead in the second with a bases-loaded walk, but a bases-loaded walk in the bottom half regenerated Claremore's three-run advantage at 4-1. Lincoln Christian scored on another bases-loaded walk in the third, and the next two frames of play went scoreless before Hale grounded into a double play in the fourth, scoring Hoisington.
That 5-2 lead didn't last long, though.
A pair of 2-RBI singles from an unnamed player wearing No. 4 and Ayden Wade in the fifth put the Bulldogs in front 6-5, and that is where the tally stayed until the Zebras rattled off four runs in the sixth.
Hoisington stole third before scoring on an error by the third baseman to even the tally, and a balk with the bases loaded regained the lead for the Zebras shortly thereafter before Kellen Gaede hit a single, scoring Tyson Grimett. Osgood capped the spurt when he scored Gaede with a double to right field.
Dan Harrington earned the win, holding Lincoln Christian hitless through 1.2 innings while allowing one run, tossing 15 strikes on 18 pitches.
Brennan Combs and Hale appeared on the mound as well, combining for nine strikeouts on 141 total pitches. Hale accounted for eight of those strikeouts while surrendering three hits, four runs and six walks, and Combs struck out one while allowing seven hits and five runs.
Claremore (12-4) plays a doubleheader against Poteau and Joplin at 5:30 and 8 p.m. Friday, respectively, before closing out the Zebra/Tiger Classic against Branson at 3 p.m. Saturday.
