In a nearly identical game as played in Strasburg to begin the season, the Yellow Jackets rallied from a deficit once again with another grand slam by Jake Ours and staved off a late Rams comeback to secure an 11-9 victory at George Hott Field on Wednesday.
“It looked like an exact replica of that first game we played against Strasburg where we didn’t play well defensively and had to rely on our offense to pick us up. Those guys were resilient enough and kept chipping away early in the game,” Moorefield Coach Wade Armentrout remarked.
“Jake [Ours] didn’t have a very good at-bat the previous time and we talked before he went up about how the pitcher was pitching our guys and we had to make a couple of adjustments. It was a timely hit and it picked everybody up and picked the energy level up. Hayden [Baldwin] had a huge hit in another inning leading off after that and the excitement was just contagious. These guys were having fun out there. Good things start happening once you get one good thing to happen. They are real resilient and are persistent. Brent [Moran] did a fantastic job coming in to close the game. It was a tough situation to be in coming in and he likes those situations. That’s the kind of kid you want out there.”
Strasburg had taken a 4-1 lead in the previous meeting with the help of errors and started out this time with a 3-0 edge in the first inning on the heels of mistakes.
Moorefield starting pitcher Derek Hoyt induced a groundout against Rams leadoff batter Corey Keller, then Justin King took a shot into right field that ricocheted off of Chase Anderson.
A throwing error by Moorefield catcher Lane Ours in a pickoff attempt sent King to third base, then Strasburg’s Trevor Sager notched an RBI double aided on an error from Hoyt.
Hoyt fielded a grounder with a throw to Blake Watts at first base for the second out, but the Rams kept the momentum going as Chase Hart garnered an RBI double into left field.
Hart advanced on a passed ball and scored on another error off the bat of Cameron Harmon giving Strasburg the 3-nil lead.
Moorefield came up empty in the bottom of the first inning as Brent Moran grounded out and Garett Haggerty flew out close to mirroring his solo shot on the road before Blake Watts singled to center field.
A walk was issued by Harmon to Jake Ours as the Rams must have remembered the grand slam at their place, then both runners were stranded on a groundout by Hayden Baldwin.
In the top of the second inning, Hoyt struck out Strasburg’s Alec Campbell.
Baldwin couldn’t corral the ball on a wicked hop sending Brandon Sealock to first base and advanced on a passed ball.
A fly ball sent into right field boy Keller was caught by Anderson in a twisting leap as the wind shifted the flight and Keller dashed to third base.
The Rams created a 4-0 lead as King punched an RBI single blooper into left field, then King was thrown out at second base by catcher Lane Ours with Moran making the tag.
Moorefield began to chip away at the deficit beginning with a leadoff double into left center field by Isaac Van Meter.
Harmon gave Anderson a free pass, then Hoyt bumped the ball just over the pitcher for a bases loaded single and Logan Wolfe came in as the base runner.
Lane Ours replicated the same hit over the pitcher plating Van Meter as Sager threw to third base for the initial out.
Moran hit into a fielder’s choice, but Ours was safe at second base as the infielder’s foot was off the bag during the catch which caused a futile argument.
After a strikeout for the second out, Watts delivered a two-run producing single to cut the deficit to 4-3 before Harmon escaped further damage with another strikeout.
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Hoyt issued a walk to Strasburg’s Austin Miller after a flyout was caught by Jake Ours in center field.
After a stolen base, Hart hit a hard grounder past the diving attempt of Baldwin at third base to put runners on the corners.
The Rams extended the lead to 5-3 as Harmon plated a run on a fielder’s choice out at second base and beat the throw to first base before being stranded on a groundout.
Baldwin smacked a leadoff single into center field for the Yellow Jackets and advanced on a passed ball.
Van Meter connected for an RBI single and moved to second base on the throw home, then Anderson made a sacrifice bunt.
Hoyt garnered an RBI single sending the ball just past the third baseman to the shortstop which tied the game.
Sealock made a sliding catch in center field for the second out off the bat of Lane Ours.
Moran notched an RBI single into center field to give Moorefield a 6-5 lead.
After a walk was given to Haggerty to load the bases, Strasburg sent Sealock to the mound.
Moorefield’s Jake Ours launched his second grand slam against the Rams with the shot going over the left field fence which had blown down from the wind creating a 10-5 advantage.
The entire dugout was at home plate to greet Jake Ours, jumping up in celebration.
“It means a lot. The grand slam helped out the team and got the energy going. We made the plays we needed to make and our pitchers did well. After we got our energy going, we were hitting the ball really well. I don’t want to let this go to my head. I just want to keep my level of play up so I can help my team out this season,” Moorefield senior Jake Ours commented.
Baldwin doubled into center field, but was left on base on a strikeout.
Hoyt sent Strasburg back to the dugout in order on a flyout, strikeout and groundout fielded by Van Meter.
Anderson singled past the dive and roll by the second baseman as the Yellow Jackets continued the momentum.
Anderson stole second base, then Hoyt nearly beat the throw to first base.
Sealock sandwiched strikeouts around Moran’s RBI single as Moorefield took an 11-5 lead.
King singled to leadoff the Rams fifth inning and Sager was given a free pass.
Baldwin came in as the relief pitcher for the Yellow Jackets.
Moorefield catcher Lane Ours caught King attempting to steal third base with Moran making the tag, then as Moran held the ball up throwing back to Baldwin on the mound it the ball was returned to deny another steal.
Baldwin fielded the last out of the frame with a throw to Watts at first base.
Watts was given a walk to begin the bottom half, but was left on base on two strikeouts and a diving catch in center field despite reaching third base.
After an initial out to begin the sixth inning, Strasburg loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a batter hit by a pitch.
An additional walk issued by Baldwin to Keller plated one run, then the Yellow Jackets got out of the jam on a fielder’s choice out at home and a groundout.
Moorefield’s lone base runner in the bottom of the sixth inning was Matthew Mongold getting on board with a walk with two outs before being stranded on a groundout.
In the top of the seventh inning, Strasburg’s Austin Miller launched a blooper just out of reach of Moorefield second baseman Thomas Williams attempting to track it down in right field.
Hart stepped up and garnered an RBI double into center field as the Rams began a rally and the throw home hit the backstop for an advancement.
Harmon notched an RBI single into right field to cut the deficit to 11-8.
Strasburg’s Justin Day doubled to put runners in scoring position with no outs, then Moran came in as the closer.
Moran is accustomed to pressure situations having hit a clutch shot to force overtime against East Hardy during basketball season.
Moran fanned the first two batters he faced, then the Rams countered with an RBI single by Keller down the third base line.
After a walk was issued to load the bases, Moran finished the game pitching a strikeout for the 11-9 victory over the Rams.
“We are getting pushed with all this weather, so we knew it would be a wild game since we weren’t throwing our number one and we figured they weren’t either. I was happy with some things and not happy with others as I’m sure their coach is too,” Strasburg Coach Joe Bauserman noted.
“That kid [Jake Ours] is a good hitter and I didn’t realize both his home runs were against us, but it is what it is. He is a good hitter and we just left the ball up. We had too many walks. Our guys fought and came back, so that’s something to hang our hat on. At the end of the day, we weren’t hustling and didn’t do the little things in the game to make it a complete game.”
Having two grand slams by Jake Ours against the same team was a remarkable feat and it was a similar style contest overall.
Moorefield improved to 3-3 and is ranked sixth in the Class A MetroNews Rankings.
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