Missourian prep baseball roundup, Apr. 11: Oak Ridge strikes early to blow by Bell City

Oak Ridge (4-3) used a five-run first inning to fly past Bell City (4-6) on Tuesday afternoon at home.

Konnor Hobeck’s three hits led Oak Ridge in the matchup, while Tyler Bishop and Ahren Fodge both finished with a game-high two RBIs each.

Camren Volz pitched 5.0 innings for the Bluejays, earning the win while allowing two hits, five walks and one earned run.

Jacob Asher and Hunter Calhoun both finished with hits in the loss for the Cubs, while Baylor Eftink drove in the lone run of the game for Bell City.

Oak Ridge next hosts the Oak Ridge Invitational Baseball Tournament beginning on Thursday, while Bell City next plays in the SCAA County Tournament beginning on Monday.

__Notre Dame 13, Poplar Bluff 9__

Notre Dame (4-2) took Poplar Bluff (6-7) to 11 innings on the road on Tuesday night, but scored four runs in the final frame to take a 13-9 win to make it back-to-back conference wins for the Bulldogs.

Sophomore Reid Morgan’s three-run double in the 11th inning gave Notre Dame the insurance needed to secure the win, while Cole Lemons’ sixth-inning triple scored another three runs. Will Dodson, T.J. Bolen and Jack Evans all notched two hits to lead the Bulldogs offensively.

Kolby Greenwall’s two RBIs on three hits and a walk led the Mules on offense in the loss, while Dylan Bratcher put in another two hits.

Notre Dame next plays at 4:30 p.m. on Friday at Valle Catholic (11-1).

__Delta 9, Lesterville 6__

Delta (2-9) picked up its second win of the year with a 9-6 win at Lesterville (0-7) on Tuesday, scoring six runs in the fifth inning and holding on for the win.

Carter Scherer’s three hits led the team offensively, while freshman Bryce Cox drove in a game-high three runs on two hits in the win.

Lesterville’s Conner Nichols finished with two hits and a walk in the loss for the Bearcats, driving in a run while plating a run.

Delta next plays in the Oak Ridge Invitational Baseball Tournament beginning on Thursday.

__Meadow Heights 10, South Iron 4__

Meadow Heights (5-2) scored eight runs between the fifth and sixth innings en route to a 10-4 victory when hosting South Iron (2-5) on Tuesday.

Will Green and Ransom Grindstaff both tallied three hits and two RBIs in the win for Meadow Heights.

Freshman pitcher Caidyn Byrd pitched for the Panthers down the stretch, throwing for the middle 3.0 innings, allowing one hit and two hit-by-pitches, with Grindstaff following by throwing the final 2.0 innings on one hit and two-hit-by-pitches, the two combining for 5.0 innings without an earned run.

Meadow Heights next plays in the Oak Ridge Invitational Baseball Tournament, beginning on Thursday.

__East Carter 5, Saxony Lutheran 1__

Saxony Lutheran (4-2) struggled to pick up hits on Tuesday in its 5-1 loss to East Carter (6-9), scoring just one run on a walk in the second inning.

After reaching base on the Crusaders’ lone hit of the game, Carson Birk earned a free trip home on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Brayden Moore.

East Carter starting pitcher Jacob Saffle pitched 6.0 innings, striking out 12 batters while earning one run. Chase Carter led the Redbirds with two hits in the win, driving in two runs while drawing a walk, also coming in for the seventh inning in relief, hitting a batter with a pitch, walking another and striking out a batter.

Saxony Lutheran next hosts Bloomfield (3-4) on Wednesday.

__Herculaneum 7, St. Vincent 1__

St. Vincent (4-4) fell back even after three two-run innings from Herculaneum’s Blackcats (6-6) doomed the Indians.

Trevor Moonier notched three hits in the loss for St. Vincent, plating a run. Liam Krauss’ one hit and a walk worked to earn the Indians’ sole RBI of the afternoon.

St. Vincent next plays in the Oak Ridge Invitational Baseball Tournament, beginning on Thursday.