After opening the week with three straight wins, including two in district play, the Durant Lion baseball team found the going tough in the Pryor/Claremore Invitational last weekend.
Coach Jimmie Wyrick’s club toppled Shawnee in a couple of close ones, 4-1 and 10-9, and then began tournament play with a 17-3 triumph against Oktaha. That winning streak was halted in a 14-6 loss to Pryor before they also fell to Branson, MO (9-3) and Sequoyah Claremore (8-6).
The Lions will take an 11-5 record into the Noble Invitational this week before returning to district play.
Ace pitcher Cole Robbins got the mound start in the 4-1 victory over Shawnee and was in command throughout as he first a complete game two-hitter in which he struck out 11 and walked nobody.
Shawnee actually held a 1-0 advantage before Durant plated two in the fourth frame to take the lead for good. Lucas McClure singled and Holdan Robinson doubled to ignite the flurry as both came around via runs batted in from Jacob Jones and Eli McClure.
The Lions added single tallies in the fifth and sixth stanzas while piling up 12 hits. Jared Avalos, Lucas and Eli McClure, Graham McIlvoy and Colton Poore all notched two hits for Durant.
It looked like the Lions might run away with the 10-9 victory as they piled up three runs in each of the first two innings before watching the Wolves rally.
In fact, Shawnee grabbed a 9-8 lead in the seventh inning before a final DHS push for the win. Three free passes loaded the bases before a ground out from Robbins tied the game. That set the stage for Avalos’ heroics as he slapped a single that got by the second baseman to plate the game winner.
Robinson had a massive game at the plate with two doubles, a home run and four batted in. Avalos also had three hits while knocking in three runs. Lucas McClure finished with two hits.
The hitting assault by the Lions continued in the Oktaha matchup as they pounded out 11 hits and capitalized on a massive 10-run third inning that completely put the contest out of reach.
Robinson had a monstrous performance at the plate in driving in six runs while posting a pair of hits. McIlvoy had two hits and knocked in three runs while Jackson Williams chipped in two hits, three runs scored and two RBI.
Keyvan Dollar was the pitching benefactor, going the distance in the run rule contest while scattering nine hits.
Durant outhit Pryor 10-6 in the loss but was tremendously hindered by 10 walks and three hit batsmen by their pitching staff. Lucas McClure spurred the offense with two hits and drove in three runs.
In the Branson defeat they spotted the Missouri club four first inning tallies and could never recover. McIlvoy was the only Lion with multiple hits.
A late rally fell short against Sequoyah as Durant spotted them an 8-3 edge in the fifth frame. Robbins ended with a team-best three hits, including a triple, while McIlvoy added a double and triple.
