Ada, Oklahoma, shuts down Retif Oil for 7-2 win at Mid-South Regional

NEW ORLEANS – Wednesday night at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium, it was a case of the bigger, more experienced team prevailing over a younger squad as the Ada Braves, the Oklahoma state champion, parlayed a five-run sixth inning and solid pitching into a 7-2 victory over host Retif Oil at the American Legion Mid-South Regional tournament.

Five Oklahoma pitchers combined on a one-hitter while Cole Broughton had two hits and drove in three runs to pace the Braves.

Retif Oil starter and losing pitcher Christian Hess matched Ada left-hander Virgil Allen through a scoreless first four innings, pitching out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the second inning and working around two walks and a single in the third inning.

Ada (35-9) broke through in the top of the fifth. With one out, Josh Lewis singled and scored on a double by Darin Luper to make it 1-0. Luper took third on a throwing error and scored on an RBI single by Broughton to make it 2-0.

Allen pitched the first four innings for the Braves, allowing no hits, walking three and striking out two, using 72 pitches. Allen gave way to Gage Burns in the fifth inning, who went two scoreless innings to pick up the win.

The Braves added to the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. Takota Franks walked, stole second and scored on an error on a grounder by Ethan Jackson to make it 3-0, ending the evening for Hess. Zach Deblieux replaced him.

Deblieux did not fare well as he failed to retired any of the four batters he faced. Mekhi Edwards singled, Dayne Bowerman walked to load the bases and Josh Lewis executed a perfect squeeze bunt for a single, scoring Jackson to make it 4-0. Luper then drew a bases loaded walk, scoring Bowerman to make it 5-0.

Retif (18-10) brought in Chris Favalora and Broughton greeted him with a two-run double to deep center, making it 7-0.

Lewis had three hits and scored twice for the Braves.

Rayburn Couffer pitched a pair of scoreless innings before Billy Wall struggled with his control in the top of the ninth, walking three and hitting a batter. Michael Torry got an RBI when hit by a Wall pitch with the bases loaded. Luper took over on the mound and recorded the final two outs, including a sacrifice fly by Matt Alexander to account for the final run.

It was too little, too late for Joey Latino’s squad.

“That’s kind of what we’ve been all summer,” Latino said. “We’ve had some opportunities, we’ve left I don’t know how many men on base in many different situations. That’s a maturation thing. I hate to use youth as an excuse. It’s not, but we have to grow and develop. These are hard lessons to learn but we’re learning.”

The Jesuit-based team is not ready to end its summer yet.

“Everybody’s going to be bigger, older and more developed than us at this stage,” Latino said, “but we will come out tomorrow and try to get a win and see how far we can go in this tournament. We will play hard. At this point, it’s about us executing a little better.”

The Oklahoma state champion advances to the winner’s bracket to face the Missouri state champion Jefferson City in the final game of Thursday’s four-game schedule, which has been moved to John Ryan Stadium because of morning rains.

Retif Oil faces an elimination game the Mississippi state champion Amory on Thursday in the second game of the day.

Final
RO 000 000 002 — 2 1 2, 9 LOB
AO 000 025 00x — 7 10 0, 8 LOB
WP–Gage Burns
LP–Christian Hess
Time of Game: 2:36