OAKLEAF – They say hitting is contagious, it couldn’t be more true.
Having lost three of its last four games, Oakleaf couldn’t have picked a better time to get out its offensive slump.
Oakleaf racked up 11 hits on its way to a shocking 12-5 win over previously undefeated Fletcher at the Armory last night.
Fletcher came into the game undefeated in the district and looking to clinch the No. 1 overall seed in the upcoming District 2-8A tournament.
Not anymore, as they left with not only their first district loss but no longer in total control of the district.
Things didn’t start that way though as the Senators jumped on the Knights early in the third inning.
After retiring six of the first seven batters he faced, pitcher Alex Guzewich ran into trouble the second time around the batting order.
Blake Pound reached on an error at shortstop, leadoff hitter Jevin Relaford lined a one out single into left and Grant Shepherd followed with a RBI single to center scoring Pound and Ian Brown’s sac fly to center scored Relaford giving the Senators a 2-0 lead.
However, the Knights answered right away with two of their own to tie it after three innings.
Jayden Rivera led off the inning with a triple to right center and scored on Dalton Holland RBI double to left center, while Holland advanced to third on the play as the left fielder misplayed the ball. Paddy Smith RBI grounder to short scored Holland tying the game just like that.
The Senators loaded the bases in the fourth but couldn’t push across any runs as Ethan Napier singled to center to lead off the inning, Pound found a hole and singled to left with two outs and Isaiah Harris reached first on a bunt single.
However, Guzewich got out of the jam by striking out Relaford to end the threat and keep the Knights deadlocked after three and half innings.
The strikeout and getting out of the jam perhaps fired up the Knights offense, who came out in the bottom of the fourth attacking starter Seth Wysocki.
Kobe Branch led off with a walk and moved to second on a sac bunt from Colby Coldiron and Eli Maddox followed with a single to right to put runners on first and third.
Rivera chased Wysocki out of the game launching a ball over the center fence for a three run home run to give Oakleaf a 5-2 lead.
Reliever Grant Shepherd came in after the home run and ended the threat with a strikeout and a pick off at first.
Guzewich got into trouble again in the top of the fifth as the Senators cut the lead to two as Shepherd singled to left and scored on Napier’s RBI single to left cutting the lead to 5-3 with one out.
The single chased Guzewich out of the game and brought in first man Logan Schmidt in relief.
Schmidt gave up a single right away from Brock Sinaly loading the bases with one out still, yet came away unscathed with a strikeout and a ground out that ricocheted off Schmidt’s right leg and rolled right to second baseman Paddy Smith, who fired to first to get out of the inning.
Another defensive gem appeared to fire up the Knights bats again as the Knights batted around in the bottom of the fifth sending 12 guys to the plate scoring 7 runs to bust the game open.
Dannon JR Smith led off with a walk, Simon Kokn reached on an error and Schmidt launched a three run shot over the left field wall to give the Knights a 8-3 lead.
Branch singled to left and Maddox singled to right to chase Shepard out of the game. Gabe Moorer came in but couldn’t find the strike zone with three consecutive walks from Rivera, Holland and Patty Smith, which scored two more runs for a 10-3 lead.
Parker Prettyman relieved Moorer after the third walk but he was greeted with a 2 RBI double from Danny Smith making it 12-3. Prettyman was able to regroup and get out of the inning with a ground out and a pop up.
Harris led off the top of the sixth with a walk and scored on Relaford RBI single to cut the lead down to eight. Yet the rally was short lived as Schmidt induced a 6-4-3 double play to clear the bases and then got grounder to first to end the inning.
Fletcher wouldn’t go away though in the top of the seventh down 12-4, as Napier walked, Sinaly doubled to left to put runners on second and third with no outs.
Schmidt settled down and struck out Carter Shall and Pound for two quick outs, but Harris RBI single to short scored Napier to cut the lead to 12-5.
With runners on first and third and two outs, Schmidt shut the Senators threat down by getting Relaford looking on a called third strike to end the game.
To many this was a complete shock as the Knights had been struggling, while the Senators came into the game full of confidence with a chance to secure the top overall seed. Yet Oakleaf head coach Chris Lannom knew his team was capable of pulling the upset.
Two guys in particular who played big roles in the game were Jayden Rivera and Logan Schmidt.
Rivera was 2-3 with 3 RBI including a three run homerun which gave the Knights a 5-2 lead in the fourth.
Schmidt came in relief in the fifth and got out of bases loaded jams in the fifth and sixth as well as tough situations in the sixth and seventh but held the potent Senators lineup to just five runs. He also helped himself with a three run home run that sparked a 7 run fifth.
Yet this win wasn’t about just Rivera and Schmidt, it was a total team effort as the Knights pounded out 11 hits as Dannon Smith (1-2, 2 RBI), Branch (2-3), Coldiron (1-2), Maddox (2-3), Holland (1-2, 2 RBI) and Paddy Smith (1-2, 2 RBI) also contributed.
A lineup that featured three freshman, one sophomore and three juniors last night got out to an amazing 7-3 start this season but recently dropped three straight to Episcopal, Atlantic Coast and Cook County (Georgia).
Now that three game losing streak has become a two game win streak and given an extremely young Knights team a lot of confidence heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
More importantly what the win did last night was throw District 2-8A into total chaos now.
With the loss, the Senators who have finished district play, no longer control their own destiny.
If Oakleaf, which has district games with Fleming Island April 16 and at First Coast April 24, can win out the Knights would be the top seed.
It’s also given Fleming Island and First Coast a boost and hopes of securing one of the two byes in the upcoming District 2-8A tournament.
Fletcher (16-2), which saw its eight game win streak come to a close last night, starts a three game home stand hosting Yulee tonight, Baldwin on Thursday and Paxon next Wednesday.
Oakleaf (9-6) travels to Yulee on Friday, returns home Tuesday to host Fleming Island, before traveling to St. Johns Country Day next Thursday.
DISTRICT 2-8A
Fletcher (4-1)
First Coast (2-1)
Oakleaf (2-1)
Fleming Island (1-1)
Atlantic Coast (2-3)
Lee (0-4)
