STILLWATER, Okla. — Stillwater Legionnaires head coach Scott Baugh knew his team had to play its ‘A’ game to play competitive with the Midwest City Outlaws.
Unfortunately, Baugh didn’t get the performance he wanted as the Outlaws cruised to a 17-0 victory at Couch Park.
“We had a bunch of guys that didn’t show up and play today,” Baugh said. “When you show up against a club like that and play like that, they are going to stick it to you.”
The Legionnaires (12-21) only had three bench players with Jared Bartmann, Claytin Beavers and Trevor Dowell. Scott Pickle and Reed Roberts of Guthrie didn’t show. Hayden Seifert and Brady Baugh were still out of the lineup dealing with injuries and illness. Jordan Poole of Oilton said the team didn’t play its best.
“We had a bad inning in the first,” Poole said. “A bad inning in the third and it went downhill from there.”
Midwest City broke the game open in the third, scoring eight runs on four hits and brought 13 batters to the plate. Four of the runs scored without the Outlaws swinging the bat. A passed ball, two bases loaded walks and a bases loaded hit by pitch scored the runs. Leadoff hitter Alex Polston and Coon added to the Outlaws' total with a two-RBI double and a two-RBI single respectively. Midwest City held an 11-0 lead after the third.
The Outlaws followed with four runs in the fourth and two in the fifth. The top three hitters had four plate appearances before Stillwater's hitters got their second.
Starting pitcher Nathan Melton of Glencoe struggled with control early, as he couldn't find the strike zone. Several balls got past catcher Blansett.
Landon Coon gave Midwest City the lead, taking advantage of Melton's strike and sending it over the wall in left-center for a two-run home run. The Legionnaires fell behind 3-0 in the first.
Melton, recovered though in the second, setting the Outlaws down in order, striking out two hitters. The Glencoe native only lasted 2 2/3 innings allowing 10 runs on four hits, walked four and hit two. Poole took over and pitched two innings. Blaze Hastings of Guthrie pitched the rest of the game.
Midwest City's starter Lance Reidlane wasn’t able to be solved as he threw a no-hitter through 5 1/3 innings. In seven innings, Reidlane struck out 13.
