TULSA – The Grove Ridgerunners continued their mid-season skid on Tuesday, losing a non-district game at Cascia Hall 6-1, their fifth loss in a row.
The Ridgerunners (9-5) could manage just six hits against three Commando pitchers in the loss. Starter Alex Torkleson allowed one hit – a third inning single by Kody Stephenson – while striking out five over three innings. Conner Nelson then pitched three innings without allowing a run on three hits.
Grove got its only run of the game in the seventh inning off reliever Tate Swab. Ty Morrow led off the inning on a single, moved to second and the third on a pair of groundouts before scoring on Kaden Livermore’s RBI single.
The Ridgerunners left two runners on base in the fourth and sixth innings.
Cascia Hall (7-2) took control of the game with three runs in the second. A pair of walks and a single loaded the bases of Grove starter Gibson Russ. A pick off play at third base temporarily relieved the pressure, but a single by Robbie Colburn drove in one run, followed by a two-run double to centerfield by Bryce Carter that made the score 4-0 at the time. The Commandos would add single runs in the third and fifth innings.
Cordale Barton pitched three innings of relief, allowing just one run on four hits, while Erick Ryan pitched a perfect sixth inning.
Colburn, Michael Bloomfield and Eric Dunlap each had two hits for the Commandos, who won for the fourth time in their last five games.
The Ridgerunners will begin play in the Tiger/Zebra Classic on Thursday.
