Tigers fall short versus Clarinda and CAM
RED OAK — The Red Oak baseball team continues to struggle getting ballgames in for the season.
While everyone else in the Hawkeye 10 conference has played at least six games, the Tigers have only played four. Rain outs have been the primary culprit for the Tigers.
Red Oak (1-3) lost its only home game of the week last Tuesday at Legion Park when Red Oak gave up three runs in the top of the seventh to lose to the Clarinda Cardinals 8-7.
The Tigers entered the top of the seventh with a 7-5 lead. Clarinda battled back to take the lead, highlighted by a two-out two-RBI single by Jacob DeGase, his only hit in the game.
Red Oak responded in the bottom half of the inning by loading the bases with two outs. However, a strikeout ended the rally.
The Tigers took the lead in the bottom of the fifth by scoring three runs when trailing 5-4.
Red Oak took the lead 6-5 when a bad throw to first base on a Colin Bruce bunt led to both Carlos Guerra and Jesse Taylor scoring.
A couple batters later, Ryker Connell knocked in Bruce for the single. Red Oak had a chance for more runs after Will West got on base, but Clarinda got out of the jam.
Connell, Taylor and Guerra were the top producers at the plate for Red Oak. Connell went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Taylor was 3-for-4 with a double, triple, two runs scored and one RBI. Guerra went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored.
Ryan Lundgren also scored a run as he went 1-for-3. Bruce was 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Clarinda has proven itself to be a thorn in the side of Red Oak baseball. They’ve won some very close ball games against the Tigers as of late.
It happened both times last season, first starting June 10, 2014 when Red Oak lost its 1-0 lead in the bottom of seventh inning. The game was tied and went into extra innings, which Clarinda won 2-1.
On June 30, 2014, Red Oak jumped out to a 7-3 lead entering the final inning when Clarinda scored six runs to go on and win 9-8.
The Tigers also fell short Saturday evening against CAM, losing 7-5.
Red Oak had a 4-2 lead late when they gave up five runs in the sixth inning.
The Tigers tried to fight back in the seventh inning, scoring one run.
Guerra was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Taylor went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored.
Colin Bruce was 2-for-3 with a RBI. Connell went 1-for-2, while Connor Johnson was 1-for-4 with two runs scored.
Red Oak’s rain outs for the week included Thursday’s doubleheader against St. Albert. That doubleheader will be made up July 3.
Tuesday night, Red Oak will be back on the road, looking for a sweep against Shenandoah. The JV/varsity doubleheader starts at Shenandoah Sportsman Park at 5:30 p.m.
This Thursday, Red Oak makes up one of its rain outs when they go back to Carroll to play Kuemper Catholic. The game starts at 7:30 p.m.
Friday will be a doubleheader day as the Tigers host Atlantic, making up another rain out.
The varsity doubleheader starts at 5:30 p.m.
Finally, Red Oak wraps up the week Saturday with a noon varsity game against Clarinda Academy.