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Wylbe Roberts makes the pitch as a Marlow runner is leading off of first base. Glenn Price • The Madill Record -
Wylbe Roberts makes the pitch as a Marlow runner is leading off of first base. Glenn Price • The Madill Record
On a beautiful Thursday afternoon, the Madill Wildcats lost to the Ardmore Tigers 9-3 which kept the Wildcats winless for the season so far with an 0-3 record. Ardmore came back from 3-1 and 3-2 deficits to Madill and scored five runs in the final two innings to get the win.
Aron Vann started the game on the mound for the Wildcats and the lefty gave up four runs on three hits and five walks in four innings. Britton Goss went the next two and a third innings giving up four runs, all of which were unearned and had four strikeouts in his work. Goss took the loss. Brylee Bruster come in and pitched the final two outs and gave up one run on one hit.
Both teams had six hits each but Ardmore capitalized on fielding errors as they scored all three runs in the sixth inning because of errors.
Yet, even in the losing effort, there were some bright spots. Vann used his breaking pitches a lot which kept the Tigers guessing. Goss pitched a strong two and one third innings giving up only two hits and no earned runs. His fast ball gave the Tigers fits. Bruster dug down deep and closed out the final inning with the bases loaded in a strong effort.
Coach Frank Thompson cited the team’s inexperience for the loss, but said improvement is in the works.
“We’re a very young and inexperienced team,” said Thompson. “We will improve over the last year record.”
Thompson’s experience should assist in teaching the young Wildcats. Thompson played his college ball at OSU from 1970 to 1974. In his four seasons playing for the Cowboys, Thompson was the starting catcher and hit .275 for his college career.
His sophomore year was his best when he led the team with the most hits and also led the team in batting average, hitting .352. Not only was he a solid collegiate player in a top baseball school, he served as a graduate assistant on the team for two years after his playing career was over.
When the Wildcats faced the Tigers, Case Coble was the hitting leader for Madill going two for two with one run and one RBI. Coty Tweedy hit a bases clearing single driving in two runs in the bottom of the third inning to put Madill ahead at the time, 3-1. Vann chipped in with a single and an RBI. Houston Stephenson singled and scored a run. Goss also got a hit to close out the hitting for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats went 6 for 27 in the game against Ardmore but needed some timely hitting as they stranded 12 runners on base.
Thompson said that the players’ hard work will eventually come to fruition.
“We have good kids that work hard here,” said Thompson. “We have some kids that haven’t played enough to learn to focus for seven innings.”