Buffs pitching, bats dominate in double-header wins over Will Rogers

Derek Hatridge, McAlester News-Capital, Okla.
·3 min read

Mar. 21—The Buffs blasted out of the gate and never looked back.

McAlester hosted Will Rogers in a district double header at Mike Deak Field on Tuesday, where the Buffs jumped out to a 17-0 win in the first game.

The Buffs got on the board first in the bottom of the opening inning, with Ethan Gillespie knocking an RBI single. Caden Lesnau later scored on a wild pitch, giving McAlester the 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second inning, Gunner Hodgell led off with a single, followed by a walk for Spencer Stinchcomb. Hodgell then made his way to home plate, scoring on a passed ball.

Back-to-back walks loaded up the bases for the Buffs as Gillespie stepped back up to the plate. He drilled a high-flying ball to the warning track in center field, scoring three more runs for McAlester on the way to a 6-0 lead after two innings.

Seth Sam kept dealing on the mound, earning a pair of strikeouts to put the Buffs back to the bats in the bottom of the third. There, the Buffs added another run to lead 7-0.

The Buffs next opened the flood gates offensively in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Gillespie hit a line drive to score a run, with Brayden Phillips following with an RBI double to center. Gannon Mullins added in an RBI double of his own, with Hodgell using a sacrifice fly to add another score for the Buffs.

Sam next hit a ball into play, scoring Stinchcomb, and Lesnau followed with a sacrifice fly to score yet another run. That's when Gillespie stepped up once more, mashing a tater over the left field fence to score three more.

Sam finished up his part in the top of the fifth, earning three straight strikeouts to seal away the win.

Gillespie led the way at the plate, going 4-4 with nine RBIs. Sam, Lesnau, Phillips, Mullins, and Hodgell combined for five RBIs.

Sam pitched a shutout on the mound, striking out eight and allowing only one walk and a single hit.

MCALESTER 11, ROGERS 1

McAlester and Rogers battled in the second game of the double header on Tuesday, where the Buffs won 11-1 behind a Caden Lesnau no-hitter.

An error led to the Ropers getting on the board in the first frame, but were quickly dispatched by the Buffs as the teams changed sides.

Lesnau got the Buffs going offensively with an RBI triple to center field. Ethan Gillespie followed with a ground ball, effectively scoring Lesnau — with Gillespie next scoring for the 3-0 lead after the first inning.

After adding another score in the bottom of the second, the Buffs found another offensive rhythm in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Seth Sam led off with a deep home run shot over center field. Lesnau knocked a triple, and was immediately scored by a sacrifice fly from Gillespie on the way to a 9-1 lead at the end of the inning.

But the Buffs weren't done scoring yet, as Ethan Watkins led off the bottom of the fifth. Lesnau added one more run with a knock that helped seal away the win.

The Buffs combined for eight RBIs on the night, while Lesnau recorded a no-hitter with four strikeouts.