The Whiteoak Wildcats got their season started on Saturday, March 23, when they hosted the South Webster Jeeps in a home double header that saw the boys from Mowrystown winning 20-10 and 11-1 respectively.
In game number one at Whiteoak High School on Saturday the Jeeps gave the Wildcats all they could handle for four innings before the defense settled in and made the plays needed to end the game in five innings.
Chase Butler got the start of the Wildcats but was chased after two innings in which he allowed five hits and seven runs crossed the plate.
Mason Lehr picked up the win after pitching five innings and striking out five batters while allowing only three runs, all in the fourth inning.
Offensively the Wildcats brought their A-game from the opening pitch and scored 20 runs in the game to win 20-10 in seven innings of play.
Traeten Hamilton, Lehr, and Billy Oliver led the wildcats with three hits apiece and combined for seven RBI in the game.
Zach Harless, Evan Brill, Ty Large and Trey Bogart each had two hits for the Wildcats for the game and combined to cross the plate six times.
Hamilton and Large were a combined four out of four when attempting to steal a base against the Jeeps and the Wildcats had eight stolen bases total in the game.
“We weathered the storm and knocked off the rust through the first four innings of this game defensively. Credit South Webster for their tenacity. They refused to quit. Great experience for us. Our bats carried us and our defense settled in, late. Mason Lehr was key for us in relief. Hamilton, Lehr, Oliver led the hit parade,” said Whiteoak Head Coach Chris Veidt.
Hamilton got the nod on the mound in game two and according to Veidt was “dominating” while striking out 12 batters and allowing no hits in five innings of work.
The lone run in game two for the Jeeps was scored in the first inning when the left fielder scored on an error by the Wildcats defense.
Hamilton, Harless and Bogart each had two hits in game two and combined to drive in six runs while crossing the plate a combined seven times in the game for the Wildcats.
Harless was two for two on steal attempts and the team was a combined five of five when attempting to steal a base in game two.
The defense behind Hamilton didn’t need to warm up as it did in the first game and didn’t commit an error after the first inning in game two.
Hamilton struck out five consecutive batters between the first and third innings and retired the side in the fifth inning.
Hamilton and the defense only allowed one runner after the first inning of play and that was on a walk issued by Hamilton in the third inning.
“Traeten Hamilton the story of this game. In a word, dominating. 12 strikeouts, no hits. Solid velocity with a breaking ball that was quite frankly unhitable. Our offense was led by Harless, Hamilton, and Bogart, whom all had a nice Saturday at the plate. Harless, Bogart, and Large along with Billy Oliver are the key additions to our offense, and they performed as expected. Large was seven out of eight in quality at bats on the day,” Said Veidt.
Ryan Applegate is the Sports Editor for The Times-Gazette. Reach Ryan Applegate at 937-402-2572, or on Twitter @RCApplegate89.
