Oak Ridge offense hits a wall in 8-0 setback to Marauders

SACRAMENTO — After a pair of convincing postseason victories, the Oak Ridge baseball team had an abysmal offensive outing Tuesday night, falling to Delta River League rival Jesuit 8-0 in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs' semifinal game.

The Trojans arrived at American River College with just one win standing between them and the championship game. Starting pitchers Chris Muse-Fisher and Austin Ales were unavailable after throwing gems in the first two games, so first baseman/pitcher Alex Fitchett got the nod.

Fitchett, who pitched sparingly for Troy this season, faced a potent Marauder lineup and an even more potent pitcher in staff ace Logan James.

Offensively, Oak Ridge sputtered out of the gate, striking out seven times in the first nine at bats against the hard throwing southpaw.

But despite James' dominance, Fitchett kept pace beautifully. Neither pitcher surrendered a run through four innings, while both allowed just one hit apiece.

"He (Fitchett) did great. He did more than we could ask for," Trojan coach Todd Melton said.

With the game scoreless heading into the fifth, Fitchett began to waiver off the strike zone and after he walked Jesuit right-fielder Parker Abercrombie, Melton went to the bullpen in search of a fresh arm.

Left-fielder Lance Berringer entered the game in relief and walked the first batter he faced before inducing a ground ball to second-baseman Mason Watkins, who had moved onto the infield grass in order to cut down Abercrombie, who was on third after advancing on a wild pitch.

Marauder center-fielder Brian Celsi made the shallow Oak Ridge infield pay on the next at-bat with a bouncing single just over the outstretched arms of Watkins that drove in two runs.

Berringer answered with a strikeout for the second out, but the inning continued to unravel for Oak Ridge when center-fielder Cole Hansen lost a pop-up in the lights that spotted Jesuit a third run.

The fifth continued to drag on for Oak Ridge — finally culminating after seven Marauder runs had crossed the plate, leaving the Trojan fans scratching their heads.

"We just have to go the long way but we are okay," Melton said, commenting on battling back through in consolation.

After recording just three hits Tuesday, Troy will look to regroup Thursday against DRL foe Pleasant Grove. The winner of that game advances into Friday's championship game against Jesuit and must win two games to take the section banner.