Prairiland Patriots Sweep Lone Oak Buffaloes || Content Sponsored by: Weezy’s

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A 4-run fourth inning sparked the Prairiland Patriots to an 8-1 win and season sweep of the Lone Oak Buffaloes Friday night.

Prairiland used power hitting from its lineup and another precise, workmanlike performance from its starting pitcher to improve to 2-0 in district play. Four of the Patriots 8 hits went for extra bases, including a pair of doubles from first-baseman Fischer Morrison, and a towering home run by junior Luke Rhoades, the first of his high school career.

On the mound, junior Keeton Kinabrew showed mastery of the strike zone, striking out 9 Buffaloes batters while walking just 1, and sprinkling 5 hits over 7 innings to pick up the complete-game win.

 

The Patriots manufactured a run in the bottom of the first inning when leadoff hitter Austen Gordon singled to left field and then stole second base. The catcher was replaced on the base paths by Rhoades, who took third and then come in to score on back-to-back wild pitches.

Prairiland tacked on two more runs in the second. After consecutive walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases, another base on balls to Jack Phillips, plated Wyatt Moore. Two batters later, Mason Pusateri drew a free pass that forced in Jayden Whitaker and gave the Patriots a 3-0 advantage.

The Patriots had another chance to break the game open in third inning after a Morrison drive to left field short-hopped the wall for a two-base hit. After Moore walked, DJ Ledbetter reached on an infield error to load the bases. But Lone Oak pitcher Drayvin Deweese pitched out of the jam before Prairiland was able to add to its lead.

In the bottom of the third, Lone Oak plated its first run of the series when Cason McBride singled and later scored on a base hit by Kallen Patterson, cutting the lead to 3-1.

Prairiland took control in the top of the fourth. Gordon led off the inning with a ground rule double that bounced over the wall in left field. Two batters later, Rhoades — again running for the catcher, Gordon — scored on a delayed double steal when the Buffaloes’ catcher attempted to throw out Yaross at second base, after he reached base on a walk.

Later in the inning with runners on the corners, Morrison lofted a fly ball high into the air in left field. The strong wind carried the ball just beyond the reach of the left fielder, and Yaross scored easily. One batter later, Moore blistered a drive up the middle that ricocheted off the leg of Lone Oak Pitcher Clayton Wallace, bringing home Adam Anderson and advancing Morrison to third base. Morrison would eventually score, giving the Patriots a 7-1 lead.

Rhoades added the coup de grace in the 7th inning, taking a first-pitch, letter-high fastball and hammering it deep over the left field fence.

First-year head coach Tony Sanders’ Patriots are tied with Mt. Vernon at 2-0 atop the district standings after the first week of play. Prairiland will face Winnsboro next week in a 2-game series — Tuesday at Winnsboro and Friday night at Patriots Field in Pattonville. First pitch is set for 7:30 both nights.

Winnsboro is 1-1 in district after splitting its two games last week with Chisum. Both games in that series were 1-run contests with the winning team scoring the deciding run in its last at bat of the game.