OSWEGO – The Yates Center High School baseball team had its offense running on all cylinders here Monday, breezing to a convincing doubleheader sweep against the Oswego Indians.
The Wildcats won both games by lopsided scores, taking the first game 19-1 and blanking OHS 17-0 in the nightcap. Both games were shortened to three innings due to the run rule. “We had a couple of tough losses (against Flinthills) to open the season, but the team came back and had some good practices and we were eager to play and take on the Indians,” said YCHS head coach Jarrod McVey. “Our pitching was much improved in both games; our bats woke up and we put the ball in play hard and good things happened. It was a couple of good team wins.”
The Wildcats pounded out 11 hits in the opener. Yates Center plated three runs in the first, 10 in the second and six more in the third to roll to the easy victory.
Jacob Meigs scored two runs and had four RBI for the winners, while William Stackhouse scored two runs, ripped two hits and had three RBI. Evan McVey and Kaiden Rutherford crossed home four teams each, with McVey knocking in three runs. Tristan Ballin and Keagan Tadlock each scored twice, Ballin had two hits, and Braxtyn Rutherford had two RBI. Kage Beck also scored a run and tallied an RBI for YCHS. Meanwhile, Blake Morrison limited the Indians to one run on two hits, while striking out five. Kelly and Miller had the hits for Oswego.
“Blake went the distance and threw well for us in Game One,” McVey noted. Yates Center recorded another 17 runs and nine hits in the nightcap, but the hitting star was definitely Kaiden Rutherford, who pounded a pair of over-the-fence home runs and totaled six RBI while scoring three runs. Overshadowed by Rutherford was an outstanding hitting performance by Beck, who went 3-for-3 and also plated three runs for the victors. Meigs also crossed home three times for Yates Center, while Stackhouse, McVey and Kevin Brown each scored twice.
On the mound, McVey and Meigs combined to throw a two-hit shutout. McVey hurled the first two inning, giving up two hits while striking out five. Meigs pitched the final frame and recorded three strikeouts.; "Evan started Game Two and did great, his command was a lot better this week."; coach McVey noted.
Then Jake came in and did a good job sealing the deal for us. All in all, it was a good day.”
Yates Center, 2-2 on the year, was scheduled to open the home portion of their slate Thursday, playing host to Crest High School. First pitch of the twinbill was slated for 4:30 p.m.