Sumner Newscow report — The Oxford Wildcat baseball team improved its record to 9-4 overall and 7-3 in the Walter Johnson (SCBL) League with a double-header sweep over West Elk at home Tuesday. The Wildcats defeated West Elk 4-3, 4-3. 

Game 1: Oxford 4 West Elk 3

Oxford –       0-0-2-0-2-0-X   4

West Elk –    3-0-0-0-0-0-0   3

Starter for Oxford: Grant Smith, 4 IP, 9 K’s, 1 BB, 3 runs, 1 ER, 3 hits. Winning pitcher for OHS: Cal Shimkus 3 IP, 1 K, 3 BB, 0 hits, 0 runs.

Oxford Offense:

Grant Smith 2-3, 2 singles, 1 RBI.

Dylan Reuter 2-3, 1 single, 1 double, RBI.

Dakota Mitchell 1-3, 1 double, 2 runs, 1 stolen base. 

Comments by Oxford head coach Kyle Green:

Game 2: Oxford 4 West Elk 3

Oxford-   0-0-2-1-0-0-1   4

West Elk –   1-0-1-1-0-0-0   3

Winning pitcher for Oxford: Camren Clements 7 IP, CG, 3 runs, 2 ER, 9 K’s, 2 BB, 7 hits.

Oxford Offense

Cal Shimkus  2-3, 2 Singles

Camren Clements 1-3, Single, RBI

Grant Smith 1-3, Triple, BB, 1 SB

Blake Thurmond 1-3, SB, BB, Game winning Single and RBI in the bottom of 7th. 

Game #1: Oxford head baseball coach Kyle Green comments:

We got another solid start from junior Grant Smith. He did a great job through 4 innings for us. Really got going in the third and the fourth. Because of our long week of games, three double headers, he was on a pitch count tonight. I loved his competitiveness as always tonight. Sophomore Cal Shimkus came in and threw 3 solid innings for us to pick up the win after we took the lead in the 5th. He hadn’t thrown in a while, but he needed the work, and he did a great job as well. He battled out of some tough spots late in the game to get the win. Our offense struggled in this game, yet as these boys always seem to do, they found a way to get it done. 

Game #2 Green comments: 

Sophomore Camren Clements took the bump in this game. He went the distance, throwing 7 innings and doing a great job. The plan coming in was to have him on a pitch count as well, but we needed a sweep in this double header to give us a shot to host league tournament here. Our offense again struggled in this game, but the boys found a way. Dakota Mitchell got on in the 7th and with his dirtbag mentality, moved up to 2nd on a throwing error.  He then moved up to 3rd. With 2 outs, Junior Blake Thurmond singled to right center for a walk off win. 

Overall Double-header comments:

Coming into this week, we knew we needed 2 wins tonight to challenge a very good Flinthills game on thursday for a shot to host the first round of league tourney at Oxford. West Elk had struggled early in the year, but they are very well coached, and they do the little things very very well. Very typical of them, they always get the best out of their kids. We had Grant and Cam on pitch counts going in, but as they sometimes say, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. With Grant in game 1, we were able to stick to it and bring Cal in behind him. With Cam, he was throwing so well, and we were tied most of the game, I felt like he was throwing so well, we would ride him out. He may not start vs. FH on thursday in two big games, but I know with Grant and Cal, we have two guys who will give us a chance. It’s a nice luxury to have those 3, they are solid. 

Our offense struggled at times last night. We squared up a lot of baseballs, but it seemed like we hit it right at kids or kids made great plays. That’s baseball on some nights. We just kept grinding a long and found a way to win. That’s the best part about this bunch, they don’t panic in tight games. They just look for ways to win and don’t quit. Right now we are 9-4 overall, 7-3 in league. If we want to host WJL first round, we will have to sweep a very good and very well coached Flinthills team here Thursday. 

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