ZEBRAS RALLY PAST BULLDOGS, FALL TO PRYOR

PRYOR — Save the best for last. It is a good trick if you can pull it off. That’s exactly what Claremore’s summer season baseball Zebras pulled off at Memorial Park Thursday afternoon. Behind from the first inning on, the Zebras last moment actions resulted in a 3-2 win over Lincoln Christian. The contest was in the second day at host Pryor’s season ending tournament. The bases were loaded with one out in the bottom of the final inning when Tristin Hampton sent a blazing liner between two Bulldog infielders. The walk-off single allowed Brandon Ulhorn to trot home from third base with the game stopping run. Two batters earlier Koby Penny set the table for the winning run as he doubled home Ben Jones with a tying run. Zebra pitcher Jackson Martin fell behind a run at the very start. Bulldog leadoff batter Dillan Hair singled and advanced to second on a following sacrifice bunt. The first of Claremore’s three errors followed with Hair holding up at third base. Collin Rote, Lincoln’s starter and No. 4 hitter, gave himself a 1-0 lead with a single. In three following plate appearances he would add two more singles and a double. Martin used a double play to end that uneasy start. Getting through the next two innings with ease, he ran into trouble again. Roth’s double to open the fourth, two fielder’s choice plays, a walk, and a hit batter, put four runners on base. Force outs at third and second bases prevented scoring, however. Lincoln, leaving the bases loaded the inning before, used two errors to score Chase Ricki in the fifth. Finally Claremore broke the ice. Brady Priess walked to start Claremore’s fifth. Two wild pitches put him at third. Penny, a strikeout victim twice and now at the plate with two outs, beat out an infield hit to score Priess. Still on top 2-1, Lincoln appeared to have two outs in the seventh. The first was a pop up foul to the catcher. A routine bouncer by Jones to the left side of the infield and a good throw would have been out No. 2. Instead the throw was wide and Jones was safe. Next was Ulhorn. Using an extra burner of speed, he beat out a throw from shortstop Adler Isbell. The Bulldog infielder made an eye opener of a catch going to his right, but couldn’t stop and turn in time to nip Ulhorn. Now facing reliever Tony Troxell instead of starter Rote, Penny doubled to the right field fence. Jones tied the game as he scored from second base. Ulhorn was stopped at third. Matt Wofford, serving as designated hitter, was up to the plate next and the Lincoln coach elected to walk him intentionally to load the bases and set up a possible game saving double play. Hampton’s answer to that challenge was his single. GAME?TWO Pryor 12, Claremore 1 — Since the beginning of time when Claremore and Pryor first started matching up in sporting events the Zebras have managed to build up a winning advantage. The tables were turned big time Thursday night in high school summer baseball, however. The Tigers coasted to an easy 12-1 win. The lopsided pairing came during the third round of the victors’ season ending tournament. Pryor pitcher Brandon Nixon spotted the visitors a leadoff run, and then never looked back during his five-inning performance. The game was halted early due to the run rule. After allowing a double and a walk in the first inning, Nixon retired the remaining 14 Zebra batters in a row. Ulhorn provided the lone Zebra bright spot. He led off with his two-base blast that sailed over the head of the center fielder. A Priess sacrifice bunt moved Ulhorn to third base and he scored thanks to a Nixon pitch that got passed the catcher. The only other Zebras to reach base were Jones and Ulhorn, again, on walks.

ZEBRAS RALLY PAST BULLDOGS, FALL TO PRYOR

Photo Credit: Pryor Athletics

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