-
Durant Lion Holdan Robinson throws a pitch to a McAlester batter. Matt Swearengin | Durant Democrat -
Lion Elijah McClure swings at the ball. Matt Swearengin | Durant Democrat
The Durant Lion baseball team bounced back from a pair of close district losses with a solid showing in the Madill Tournament last weekend, including one victory.
Coach J.W. Parsons’ squad posted its win against Pittsburg, Texas, in convincing fashion by notching the 11-2 triumph before a narrow 4-3 loss to Bonham in its finale.
Durant battled McAlester well early in the week but came up on the short end of 5-1 and 5-3 decisions as they began the season with a 2-4 record.
In the first McAlester contest, the Lions got a solid pitching effort from Reid Thompson and Holden Robinson as the duo allowed just two earned runs on four hits with seven strikeouts. Twelve walks and four errors proved costly however.
Robinson had one of the three Durant hits in the game and drove in the lone run. Kaden Neill and Lucas McClure also had singles.
In the 5-3 defeat, six Lion errors made things difficult as Cole Robbins was spectacular in a complete game four-hitter as he struck out 10. He was the tough luck losing hurler however with five unearned runs.
Eli McClure accounted for two of the four DHS hits as he drove in a run. Lucas McClure chipped in one hit as did Aiden Diviney.
Durant could not get much going in an 11-1 loss to Grand Saline, Texas, in the tournament opener with four errors and nine free passes making the road very difficult despite only getting outhit 8-5.
Eli McClure racked up three hits with Robbins and Neill contributing singles. Neill drove in the Lion run in the fifth inning.
Neill and Diviney were the Lion pitchers, combining to yield eight hits and six earned runs.
An impressive win over Pittsburg followed with Colton Poore going the distance on the mound as he allowed just two runs on three hits with six strikeouts.
After spotting the Pirates a 2-0 lead through three innings, Durant answered to go in front for good with four tallies in the fourth stanza.
The Lions got a pair of free passes before singles from Robbins and Neill. Two more walks forced in runs ahead of an RBI single from Ryder Jones. Durant then put it away with a seven-run explosion in the final inning as Eli McClure and Poore tossed in RBI hits.
Durant came up just shy in the finale against Bonham as a late rally fell short despite allowing only three hits in the contest.
Kolton Mason tossed one and two-third frames and allowed two runs on no hits in being charged with the loss. Lucas McClure scattered two runs on three hits in four and one-third stanzas with Stephen Manhard getting two outs in relief as well.
Robbins contributed two hits and one batted in to spur the Lion offense. Diviney added one hit and one RBI with Robinson chipping in the final hit.
Durant visits Atoka on Thursday and Marietta on Friday before the Southeast Shootout in the Broken Bow area starting on Monday.