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MURFREESBORO WEATHER

Blackman baseball wins first two against Oakland




Oakland’s J. McGowan opts to keep the ball as he dives for the base but Blackman’s Conner Murphy is called safe. ETHAN SCOTT

Oakland’s J. McGowan opts to keep the ball as he dives for the base but Blackman’s Conner Murphy is called safe. ETHAN SCOTT

Blackman’s baseball team stayed in the hunt for District 7-AAA regular season championship following a series 5-4 win over Oakland Wednesday night.

Blackman trailed 4-1 in the sixth inning of Wednesday night’s Game 2 matchup. The Blaze won in walk off fashion after a three-run final frame. They edged te Patriots 2-1 in the season opener on Tuesday.

“We really needed this one to give us an opportunity to move into first place next week (against Riverdale),” said Blackman coach Barry Vetter of game two’s heroics. “We battled through our early mistakes and finished on top.”

Blackman’s Blaze Bell led off the sixth with a double, later scoring after a pair of wild pitches to pull within 4-2. Blackman capitalized on Oakland’s late inning difficulties on the mound — three hit batsmen, two walks and a fielding error. It was all the Blaze needed to pull out the 5-4 victory.

“We have a good rivalry going (with Oakland), so any game we win against them is a big one,” said David Milam, who knocked in a early RBI. “I am seeing the ball really well but it is my teammates who put themselves in the position to be scored.”

Tyler Battle earned the win following two innings of relief work. Battle came up big with two strikeouts to escape a sixth-inning, bases-loaded jam with a 4-1 deficit.

“I believe the momentum turned our way at that point,” Milam said. “We have a mature team that played with confidence and got the job done.”

Drew Beam played hero on the mound for Blackman in a 2-1 pitching showdown in the first game. The sophomore pitched a complete game, 14-strikeout performance.

“(Beam) throws strikes with the ability to throw multiple pitches for strikes, which makes it difficult for hitters,” Vetter said.

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