By Chuck Reherman
Sports Editor
Trailing by eight runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Yukon looked for some of that “Miller Magic” to make a comeback.
The Millers found the “magic,” but just not enough of it.
The Millers scored six runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and had the bases loaded but came on the short end to Southmoore, 11-9, at Miller Stadium.
The Millers, 9-10, trailed Southmoore, 7-14, the rest of the game after forcing a 2-2 tie in the first inning. And, after giving up two runs in the top of the seventh inning to trail 11-3, the Millers had put themselves into a deep hole.
Yukon had only two hits in the bottom of the seventh but took advantage of Southmoore’s struggles on the mound to spark the comeback attempt.
Walks to Payton Miller and Dalton DeBaud started the rally. Dakota Ward reached on a one-out error to score the first run. After a walk to Drew Janvrin loaded the bases, Mason McIntyre singled to plate a run and cut the lead to 11-5.
Chance Shelton’s two-run scoring single made it an 11-7 game. A walk to Nollan Koon reloaded the bases and Matt Wilson was hit by a pitch to send in the fifth run of the inning.
With two out, DeBaud, in his second trip to the plate, walked again and sent home a run to close the margin to 11-9. But the inning and game ended there as a pop foul was hauled in by Southmoore catcher Parker Powell.
Southmoore had taken a 2-0 first inning lead on an RBI double by Powell and a ground out. The Millers answered on back-to-back two out doubles from DeBaud and Rylan Vanlandingham, 2-2.
The Sabercats took the lead for good on a two-run home run by Donnie Gaines in the top of the second inning, 4-2. Southmoore used a two-run scoring error, an RBI single by Brendan Kirchoff and a sacrifice fly from Gaines to extend their lead to 8-2.
RBI singles from Kirchoff and A Spencer pushed the lead to 11-3 in the seventh inning. The Millers had scored on an RBI double by Shelton in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Shelton led the Miller hitting going 2-for-4 with three runs batted in. McIntyre was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
The Millers are scheduled to play Edmond North in a district 6A-1 contest on Monday and Tuesday. YHS hosts North Monday and plays in Edmond Tuesday. The games are tentatively set for 4:30 p.m. each day but may start later due to the teacher walk-out.
