Oran's big second inning dooms Delta

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- After scoring three runs in its first two at-bats against Oran, the Delta baseball team appeared to be cruising smoothly in its Class 1 District 2 quarterfinal Monday.

"We came out and I was excited. We hit the ball, put the ball in play and were right there," Delta coach Justin Simpher said. "Then the wheels fell off, and when they did, there wasn't no stopping it."

Oran sent 15 batters to the plate in the bottom of the second inning on its way to a 17-4 victory. Three Delta pitchers appeared in the inning, allowing five hits, five walks, two hit-by-pitches, six wild pitches and 11 runs.

"We tried, but Oran's a good team and they're not going to allow that to happen," Simpher said, talking about his pitching staff's control problems. "They did a good job of keeping us out of it once we got out of it."

Delta loaded the bases against Oran starter Trent Irwin in the second inning, forcing Oran coach Mitch Wood to call on Kody Moore with one out.

Oran's Adam Schaefer hits against Delta, reaching second base on two Delta errors, during the first inning in the Class 1 District 2 tournament Monday, May 17, 2010 at Chaffee, Mo. (Fred Lynch)

"We made the decision very early that we were going to go a couple innings at the most [with Irwin]," Wood said. "If he wasn't on, we was going to get him out and save him for tomorrow and Wednesday. That way we don't string it out and hurt him."

The move worked, and Oran gave up just one run in the inning.

"Everybody talks about saving your ace, but we don't really have an ace at this time," Wood said. "We lost Chasteen at the beginning of the year who we felt like was our ace. Since then I've had three, four kids who just fill in and do a good job. We'll play the same way tomorrow."

Oran first baseman Mac McConnell was 3 for 4 with two RBIs.

"I ain't going to lie," McConnell said of his team's early 2-0 deficit. "I was a bit worried to be honest with you, but I mean it's the game of baseball. When things aren't going right, you've got to keep your head up and go out and hit the ball hard and get them back."

Oran pitcher Trent Irwin delivers to a Delta batter during the Class 1 District 2 tournament Monday.

Of course, the Eagles got them all back and a whole bunch more, something they've been able to do more lately after struggling offensively early in the season.

"The last couple games we've actually been hitting pretty well, and with districts rolling around, that's a good thing," McConnell said. "We came out and didn't disappoint today."

Oran received 11 free passes to first base via walks and hit-by-pitches Monday.

"They were having trouble, but we've been hitting the baseball well the last few games," Wood said. "I think it's a little combination of both, and we did a good job of picking up how the umpire was going to call the baseball game."

While Delta's season ended with a 4-12 record, third-seeded Oran advanced to face second-seeded Chaffee at 4 p.m. today.

Chaffee defeated Oran 5-3 on May 7.

"They're a good team," McConnell said. "It'll be a close game tomorrow. I just hope we can come out on top. I don't know who'll pitch, I don't know who'll pitch for them, but whoever, you've just got to come out and hit the ball and do things right to win the ballgame."

Delta 210 01 -- 4 7 3

Oran 3(11)0 30 -- 17 10 1

WP -- Kody Moore. LP -- Chase Crowden. 2B -- Shelby Kight (D), Gabe Kielhofner (O), Mac McConnell (O), Nolan Urhahn (O), Zac Chasteen (O). Multiple hits -- Oran: Kielhofner 2-3, McConnell 3-4. Delta: Kight 2-2. Records -- Oran 16-8, Delta 4-12.