COALFIELD, Tenn. | It looked like all Oneida early.
Then the Indians wound up needing some insurance runs late to hold off an Oliver Springs surge, as they advanced in the winners' bracket with an 18-11 win over the Bobcats here Wednesday afternoon.
Caden Rector had a monster game for Oneida. The junior went four-of-four at the plate, with a grand slam, and finished with six RBIs while scoring five more runs.
Oneida jumped out to a 7-0 lead early on the strength of Rector's first inning homerun, and led 10-2 after three innings.
But Oliver Springs put up eight runs in the top of the fifth to roar all the way back and tie the game.
From there, though, it was all Oneida. The Indians quickly regained the lead with three runs in the bottom of the fifth, then tacked on five more runs in the sixth to salt the game away.
It was a masterful start for Oneida. Colten Daugherty, Gabe Brennan and Todd Derek Ryon each reached base on balls to start the home half of the first inning. Then Rector went yard, clearing the bases with his homerun to center field on a 2-1 pitch to give the Indians a 4-0 lead before Oliver Springs had even recorded an out.
Aiden Frazier also had a big game for Oneida, with five RBIs and a run scored. Brennan had three RBIs and scored three runs. Ryon had an RBI and scored three runs, and Daugherty scored four runs.
Eli Rector and Peyton Smart each scored a run, as well, and Brock Ryon drove in a run.
Brennan had two extra-base hits in the game. Rector also had an extra-base hit, in addition to his first inning fireworks.
Daugherty was the winning pitcher, going 2.1 innings while striking out four and giving up only two earned runs.
The Indians used a total of four pitchers before Todd Ryon closed things out, striking out three and giving up only one earned run and one hit across the final 2.1 innings.
