Opp eight-game winning streak ends against UMS-Wright

Published 11:00 am Thursday, April 13, 2023

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Opp saw an eight-game winning streak snapped with a 6-1 home loss to UMS-Wright in varsity baseball action Monday, April 10.

Senior Robbie Gafford awaits the next pitch of an at-bat during Opp’s home baseball game against UMS-Wright on Monday. (PHOTO COURTESY OF HEATHER GAFFORD)

The Bulldogs pushed their season record to 18- 9, while the Bobcats fell to 11-9 on the year.

Cole Blaylock and Matthew Hedge earned two-out walks and scored on a double by Logan Norris for a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. John Helms took over on the mound and ended the rally with a groundout. Sutton Snypes retired the side in order on 14 pitches before Helms followed suit with nine pitches in the visiting second. Nelson Hall and Riley Day opened the home half with back-to-back walks. Hall and Day advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Helms. Colby Ballard earned a free pass and loaded the bases with two outs. Day scored on a passed ball and cut the deficit to 2-1 after two innings.

Norris was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the third and brought in Wilson Colvin. Grady Patterson kept the score 3-1 with a strikeout and force play. Robbie Gafford reached on a two-out miscue, but a flyout ended the inning. Parker Barraza and John Ramsay led off the fourth with singles and put runners at the corners with no outs. Courtesy runner Dylan Henderson scored on an RBI single by Olin Ward as the margin grew to 4-1. Blaylock laced a single into left and brought home Ramsay for a 5-1 lead. Ward scored the final run for UMS on an error. OHS put together a two-out rally in its half when Helms reached on a miscue, and Nolan Brown walked. Snypes eluded further damage and maintained the 6-1 lead with a groundout.

Mikell Taylor walked with one out in the fifth before Barraza singled. Griffen Pierce recorded two flyouts and held the Bulldogs off the scoreboard. Gafford collected a single in the bottom of the frame but was stranded at first following a pop-up. Charles Stuart began the sixth with a walk but was erased on a 1-6-3 double play. Colby Ballard retired Jefferson Holston on a groundout and ended the inning. Day singled up the middle for the Bobcats in the home portion but could not advance.

Snypes had a double in the top of the seventh, but Hall earned a groundout and struck out Barraza. Patterson earned a one-out walk in the bottom half before the game concluded.

Day and Helms each finished the day 1-for-2, and Gafford was 1-for-4. Danford took the loss and allowed two earned runs on one hit in 2/3 inning.

Opp will take on New Brockton in a best-two-of-three series to determine the 3A Area 4 champion this week.