Senior pitcher gets watched any 28 MLB scouts
The Roland Rangers baseball team split its four games last week.
First, the Rangers split the two district games with Spiro, losing 15-5 on March 11 in Spiro, but beating the Bulldogs 11-7 in the home opener.
After having Thursday’s road game at county rival Vian rained out, the Rangers lost Friday night’s home game 10-2 to Panama, but ended the week on a high note with a 7-0 home victory over Hulbert on Saturday.
In the loss to Spiro, the Bulldogs scored three runs in the first inning and twice in the second inning for a 5-0 lead. After the Rangers tied the game at 5 in the fifth inning, the ’Dogs put the game into runrule status with a 10-run fifth inning.
In defeat, Alex Brant was 2-for-3 with a run batted in and a run scored, while Trenton Ross was 2-for-3 with two RBIs for the Rangers (2-2 overall, 1-1 in district play).
Ashton Peters (0-1) suffered the loss, despite striking out five batters in 4.1 innings.
In the victory over Spiro, Roland scored five runs in the third inning and three runs in the fourth to take the lead for good at 8-1 entering the fifth inning, then the Rangers had to hold off a sixth-inning rally by the Bulldogs.
For the game, Paden Pitts was 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, four runs batted in and two runs scored, Ashton Peters was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, Avery Moya was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored and Alex Brant doubled with an RBI and a run scored for Roland.
University of Arkansas signee Carson Wiggins (1-0) got the win, going the first four innings with 11 strikeouts. There were 28 of 32 Major League Baseball scouts in attendance at the March 12 home opener. RHS principal Dara Tyler said it’s going to be like this every Tuesday as when the Rangers are home, Wiggins will pitch — quite likely to 20-plus MLB scouts each time.
Pitts went the next two innings with a strikeout. Colton Peters finished things out in the seventh inning with two Ks.
In the loss to Panama, the Razorbacks rallied from a 1-0 first-inning deficit with a single run in the fourth inning, a seven-run fifth inning and a single run in the sixth inning for a 9-1 lead.
In defeat, Pitts was 3-for-4 with a run scored, while Ashton Peters singled and had two RBIs for Roland.
Brant (0-1) took the loss, going the first 4.1 innings with six strikeouts. After Pitts gave up a fifth-inning single, Avery Moya got the final eight outs, two of which came by strikeout.
In Roland’s win over Hulbert, the combination of Pitts and Colton Peters combined on a three-hitter. Pitts (1-0) got the win as he went the first five innings with five Ks, while Peters went the final two innings with a strikeout.
After Ashton Peters’ RBI double in the first inning put Roland ahead 1-0, the Rangers scored four runs in the third inning, three of which came on Wiggins’ three-run, inside-thepark home run, to up Roland’s advantage to 5-0 after three innings.
For the game, Brant was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, Ashton Peters hit an RBI double and Wiggins hit a three-run, inside-thepark round-tripper — his first of the season — and scored twice.
After the Rangers played their district foes Eufaula on Monday there and Tuesday at home, they will play two home games this week to end Spring Break — at 1 p.m. Thursday against Okmulgee and 1 p.m. Friday against Pocola.
