The winning recipe: Oran’s 'Burger Combo' devours competition and cooks up perfect season

ORAN, Mo. — The Oran baseball team had been dishing out a delectable and unbeatable ‘Burger Combo’ to its opponents this fall season, leaving them famished for victory and hungry for answers.

Kole Burger and Gabe Dirnberger, the culinary architects of this tantalizing duo, are not swinging bats, they’re smashing ‘whoppers’ like seasoned grill masters.

“[Burger] brings a little bit of a grittiness to the team in the leadoff spot,” said Oran coach Joe Bickings. “He is a kid that can jump on the first pitch of the game if you leave it over the plate but at the same time is willing to work the count if need be. [Dirnberger] has stepped up at the plate for us this fall and has come up with some big hits. On the mound, he has been just as good.”

Oran's Gabe Dirnberger (17) sprints�during�an 11-1 win over Cooter at OHS on Wednesday, September 20, 2023.�Dennis Marshall ~ Standard-Democrat

Burger and Dirnberger cooked up a mouthwatering performance for the Eagles this past fall, leading the team to an unblemished 13-0 record and leaving opponents starving for runs with a 147-13 run differential.

Dirnberger, a senior, emerged as the leader in multiple statistical categories, including batting average (.524), hits (22), doubles (7), home runs (3) and RBIs (24).

Meanwhile, Burger, a junior, also proved to be a force on the diamond, ranking second with a .500 batting average, 19 hits, four doubles and 16 RBIs. He also led the team in stolen bases (7) and crossed home plate 17 times.

Oran's Kole Burger (18) scores a run during a 2-0 win at Kelly to clinch the Scott-Mississippi Conference Championship on Friday, May 5, 2023. (Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat)

The duo’s contrasting styles and personalities added an extra layer of flavor to Oran’s unstoppable run.

“To me, [Burger and Dirnberger] are complete opposites,” Bickings said. “Burger is a high-energy guy and seems to always be talking. [Dirnberger] doesn't seem to hardly show any emotion at all and stays to himself a little more. I guess they just end up balancing each other out.”

Burger, whose passion for the game sprouted from watching his older brother and playing with friends, echoed his coach’s perspective.

Oran head coach Joe Bickings give Gabe Dirnberger (25) some words of encouragement before an at bat�during�a 4-0 win over Bell City in the MSHSAA Class, District 2 Championship at Capaha Park in Cape Girardeau, Missouri on Tuesday, May 16, 2023.Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat

“We complement each other well,” Burger said. “I’m a very aggressive player and always wanting to be the center of all the plays, whereas [Dirnberger] is a very laid-back player and likes to play at his own pace and style.”

Drinberger went on to highlight the team’s closeness and identified the keys to their success.

“We don’t take anyone lightly,” Dirnberger said. “We get the job done and don’t just go through the routine. The team has always been close, most of us have been friends playing on the same team and having fun since we were kids. That close bond has helped us rally together and rely on one another to come through for each other.”

Oran's Parker Bryant (18) throws a pitch during an 11-0 win over Bernie at OHS on Monday, September 11, 2023.�Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat

According to Bickings, the most memorable moment of the fall season for Dirnberger and Burger unfolded this past weekend during a heart-pounding victory at Greenville.

“Both of them came through in the clutch against Greenville,” Bickings said. “It was a back-and-forth game, neither team wanted to give up and it was a great high school game.”

The Eagles won 6-5 over Greenville (16-4) and 14-1 over South Pemiscot (2-12) to conclude its fall season on Saturday, September 23.

Oran's Carson Kern (16) gets a hit�during�an 11-1 win over Cooter at OHS on Wednesday, September 20, 2023.�Dennis Marshall ~ Standard-Democrat

Against Greenville, Oran jumped out to a 2-0 in the top of the first inning after Dirnberger singled to score Nolan Loper and Rylan Mills scored on an error.

Greenville tied the game with a two-run home run by Trey Porter in the bottom of the third inning and gained a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning on a solo home run by Cooper Sturgeon.

The Eagles tied it 3-3 after Cooper Senciboy singled to score Brenden Campbell and retook the lead 4-3 after a single by Burger that scored Tyler Brashears in the top of the sixth inning.

Oran's Nolan Loper (4) throws�during an 11-0 win over Bernie at OHS on Monday, September 11, 2023.�Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat

Greenville answered with two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, pushing back ahead 5-4.

Trailing in the top of the seventh inning, the Eagles’ fortune quickly changed as Parker Bryant kickstarted the inning with a crucial single, paving the way for Dirnberger to deliver a powerful home run that soared over the centerfield wall, propelling the Eagles to a 6-5 win.

“I give my kids all kinds of credit because they could have easily given up after Greenville took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth after we had an error and a few walks in the inning,” Bickings said. “I also can't finish this without talking about Cooper Senciboy's ESPN Web Gem that he made in the second inning. He was able to rob a home run while crashing into the centerfield wall. That saved us two runs and more than likely the game now that we can look back on it.”

Oran's Rylan Mills (9) throws to first base�during�an 11-1 win over Cooter at OHS on Wednesday, September 20, 2023.�Dennis Marshall ~ Standard-Democrat

Oran other top performers at the plate this fall were Bryant (.487 batting average, 19 hits, 16 RBIs and 17 runs), Campbell (.455 batting average, 15 hits, seven RBIs and 10 runs), Carson Kern (.406 batting average, 13 hits, 15 RBIs and 14 runs) and Loper (.361 batting average, 13 hits, seven RBIs and 20 runs).

Bryant (23.0 IP), Dirnberger (20.0 IP) and Loper (12.2) saw the most time on the mound. Bryant finished with a .609 ERA and 37 strikeouts, Dirnberger had a .350 ERA and 30 strikeouts and Loper added a .553 ERA with 23 strikeouts.

The addition of junior Rylan Mills has also been pivotal to the team's success.

“Overall this fall was really good for us,” Bickings said. “It allows us to see things we will need to improve on in the spring. It also gave us opportunities to put different players in different positions in the field that they weren’t familiar with. We had outfielders who had to play some infield spots and got some guys on the mound who haven't had a lot of pitching opportunities in the past.”