Oklahoma Travelers Baseball

Oklahoma's Premier Summer Baseball Program

Thursday, June 20, 2013

2013 Game Recaps

Travelers 12, Las Vegas Post 76 1 (14-4)
(Andenucio, Fifth Place Game) - The Travelers secured a 4-2 record at the Andenucio tournament with a run-rule victory on getaway day. The offense belted out seven hits and 12 runs in just four innings of work, while taking advantage of five Las Vegas errors. Matt Benedict got the start and kept the Vegas offense off balance throughout. He scattered five hits and struck out four in four innings of work, recording his second win of the tournament in the process. Dylan Miller added a scoreless fifth inning in relief. The offense staked Benedict to an early 2-0 lead and piled on from there. Tyler Melton, Miller, Walker Hines, Cody Luman, Brock Carter and Brody Shook all drove in runs. Hines and Luman both had doubles. Benedict was named to the tournament's All-Tourney team having gone 2-0 in the event. He didn't allow an earned run in 11 innings of work overall. The Travelers improved their record in the Andenucio tournament to 46-8 over the past eight seasons, which includes six tourney titles.

Travelers 5, Durango CO 4 (13-4)
(Andenucio, Pool Play) - It took extra innings, and a second pitching appearance of the day for Tyler Parks, but the Travelers won after losing a lead late. Tanner Bell hit a soft grounder to shortstop with one out and the bases loaded to score Cadan Calaway with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth. It was needed after Durango came back from a 3-0 deficit to tie the game in the sixth and again to tie it 4-4 in the seventh. Gunnar Cook pitched more than five strong innings for the Travelers. He struck out 13 of the 16 outs he recorded while allowing just four hits and one walk. Cook ran into a bases loaded jam in the sixth with one out. Tyler Melton relieved but walked a pair of batters before Parks (who one the day's earlier game in five innings of work) came out of the pen. A passed ball allowed the tying run to score before a strikeout and fly-out ended the threat at 3-3. Parks then doubled and scored on a Brock Carter single in the bottom half to retake the lead. Durango tied it in the top of the seventh on a two-out double with a runner on first before Bell won in it in the bottom half. It was the second mound victory of the day for Parks. Brandon Goldston and Cody Luman each had two hits for the Travelers.

Travelers 9, Parker CO 6 (12-4)
(Andenucio, Pool Play) - The Travelers broke its two-game losing skid in Colorado with an offensive flurry in the wood-bat Andenucio tournament. Every hitter in the lineup collected at least one hit as the offense produced 12 hits in a 9-6 victory. A six-run third inning staked starting pitcher Tyler Parks to a 8-1 lead early. Parks and Brock Carter each drove in two in the flurry, while Cody Luman also had an RBI single. Luman also doubled and scored on a Parks single in the fourth. Parks worked out of trouble in the fifth when a two errors helped allow four unearned runs. He struck out 11 batters against just two walks in five and two-thirds innings. Tyler Melton got the last four outs of the game to get the save on the mound. Luman's 3-for-4 effort led the offense. Dylan Miller also drove home a pair of runs.

Greeley CO 8, Travelers 3 (11-4)
(Andenucio, Pool Play) - For the second day in a row the Travelers played amidst a violent afternoon dust storm that rolled through the Runyon Sports Complex in Pueblo. This time in a losing effort as the team watched a 1-0 lead slip away fast. Tanner Bell walked and scored on a Walker Hines single in the bottom of the first. Greeley tied it in the top of the second, and then took control with three more runs in the third. Starting pitcher Cody Luman looked good early before he ran into a tight strike-zone at homeplate that eventually got manager Heath Ritchie ejected. Luman allowed five hits, while walking four and striking out five in three innings of work. Logan Fertic threw two and one-thirds relief, allowing three runs on two hits and four walks. Brody Shook got the final five outs, allowing one run on one hit. Brandon Goldston plated the final two Travelers runs in the seventh with a two-out single. Hines and Luman led the offense with two hits apiece.

Farmington NM 4, Travelers 1 (11-3)
(Andenucio, Pool Play) - The Travelers had plenty of runners on base, but couldn't drive them in while taking the loss in Pueblo. The lone run was scored by Brandon Goldston, who scampered home on a wild pitch after reaching base on an error and moving to third on a balk. That gave the Travelers a short-lived 1-0 lead. Farmington took the lead for good in the top of the fourth with a pair of runs against Travelers starter Taylor Varnell. The Cardinals added two more in the sixth before Weston Cole and Brody Shook relieved. Tanner Bell and Tyler Parks each had two hits to lead the offense.

Travelers 2, Burkburnett TX 0 (11-2)
(Andenucio, Pool Play) - Starting pitcher Matt Benedict and the Travelers worked around a blustery dust storm to win its opening game of the 2013 Tony Andenucio Memorial tournament in Pueblo. With winds nearing 50mph at times and blowing in a wall of dirt that blocked out the sun, Benedict kept his command on the mound, throwing a complete-game, shutout with nine strikeouts and just four hits allowed. The offense plated its first run in the fourth. Tyler Melton led the inning off with a single, advanced to third on an errant pickoff throw and scored on a wild pitch. Dylan Miller scored the only other run. He doubled with two outs in the seventh and scored on a single by Brandon Goldston. The Traveler offense managed just four hits in the extreme conditions.

Travelers 13, TSR Engrav 1 (10-2)
(Abilene, TX Festival) - The Travelers offense made quick work of this one, belting out 13 hits (six for extra bases) and 13 runs for a run-rule victory. Eight of the 13 runs came in the first inning as the Travelers sent 13 hitters to the plate. Tanner Bell drove in three in the frame with a pair of singles. Dylan Fazekas added a two-run triple and Brock Carter a two-run double in the first inning eruption. Fazekas drove in another on his second triple of the game in the third. Carter (triple) and Brody Shook (sac fly) drove in runs in the fourth before Walker Hines put an exclamation point on the day with a line-drive rocket down the right field line that just stayed inside the right field foul pole for a solo homerun in the fifth. Gunnar Cook started on the mound, allowing one unearned run and striking out four in two innings. He yielded to youngster Brandon Goldston who pitched three scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts to record the win.

Travelers 4, Texas Blackhawks 18s 1 (9-2)
(Abilene, TX Festival) - Tyler Parks threw arguably the best game of the season thus far. The Red Oak southpaw allowed just one hit and faced four hitters over the minimum while striking out 12 and walking two. The lone run scored was unearned. Parks seemed to get stronger as the game progressed, striking out the side in the fourth and eight overall in the final four frames. The Travelers struck first with a run in the first. Devan Crose led-off the game with a walk and later scored on a Dylan Fazekas groundout. Tyler Melton singled and scored on a wild pitch in the third for a 2-0 lead. The top of the order tacked on two more runs in the fifth as Crose singled and Melton walked before Tanner Bell drove both home with a single. Melton and Bell led the offense with two hits each.

Texas Prospects 5, Travelers 4 (8-2)
(Abilene, TX Festival) - The Travelers tough luck at McMurry University field continued. The Travelers are mysteriously snake-bitten at the location, and are now 0-5 at the field after dropping a game it led 4-1 going into the bottom of the fifth. Like many of their previous losses here, it was unlucky hops and bloop hits that did the Travelers in as Matt Benedict took just his second career loss (other coming at Abilene last year) despite cursing through the first four innings. The Prospects plated three runs to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth on an error, single, bloop single, two infield singles and a Benedict balk. The Prospects won it in the bottom of the seventh on run-scoring double just three hitters into the inning. Benedict allowed 11 hits and struck out four. He also picked off three base-runners. The Travelers took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third on a two-run ringing double to centerfield from Walker Hines and an RBI single from Devan Crose. Dylan Fazekas singled and scored on a Crose groundout in the fifth for the team's final run. Tyler Melton, Tanner Bell, Fazekas and Dylan Miller each had two hits in the game.

Travelers 8, Texas Airhogs 7 (8-1)
(Abilene, TX Festival) - The Travelers notched their first major come-from-behind win of the season. Trailing 7-1 going into the bottom of the third, the offense ignited to score four runs in the frame to pull to within 7-5 before tying it with two more in the fourth and winning in the fifth upon a tie-breaker due to the 2-hour time-limit put on games in the event (Travelers out-hit the Airhogs 8-7). Dylan Fazekas landed the first big blow with a two-run double in the third. D.J. Gasso and Brandon Goldston followed with RBI singles. Tanner Bell drove in a run on a groundout in the fourth while Tyler Melton scored the tying run on an error. Starting pitcher Logan Fertic allowed six runs in one and two-thirds innings before the bullpen slowed the Airhogs down. Gunnar Cook recorded one out to end the second inning before Brody Shook pitched two innings, allowing one run. Tyler Melton recorded the pitching win with a scoreless inning of relief in the fifth. D.J. Gasso was the only Travelers hitter to collect more than one hit, going 2-for-2 on the day. Unfortunately Gasso was hit in his last at-bat and suffered a broken hand, likely ending his summer prematurely. History was also made on this day -- for the first time in the team's 50-year history a 15-year-old pitcher (Brody Shook) threw to a 15-year-old catcher (Brandon Goldston) in a game.

Travelers 5, Ardmore 3 (7-1)
The Travelers plated four runs in the first two innings and hung on for the narrow victory over a solid Ardmore squad at Silo High School's field. Dylan Fazekas plated the first two runs with a double in the first after Brock Carter reached on an error and Tanner Bell walked. Tyler Melton walked and scored on a wild pitch in the second before Walker Hines added an RBI single later in the frame. The four-run cushion proved to be enough for starting pitcher Tyler Parks who worked around five walks and three hits in six innings. He struck out 10 Ardmore batters while allowing three runs. Fazekas made his debut appearance on the mound, throwing a scoreless seventh inning for his first save of the season. Melton, Hines and Parks each had two hits in the game.

Travelers 6, Okmulgee 2 (6-1)
After being rained out in Ardmore, the weekend's games were moved to Silo High School for the remainder. That's where Matt Benedict moved to 3-0 on the season with his third complete-game victory. The Travelers offense staked the right-hander to a 6-0 lead, and Benedict cruised the rest of the way, allowing just five baserunners overall. Benedict allowed just two hits and struck out eleven. A leadoff walk in the fifth ended what was a perfect game. Okmulgee plated its only runs on a 2-run homerun two batters later. Okmulgee loaded the bases in the seventh but Benedict struck out the final batter looking to end the threat. Leedey's Walker Hines continued his torrid pace at the plate, rocketing a line-drive to left-field for a two-run single in the first inning. The Travelers added four more in the fourth inning behind singles from Tyler Parks, Tanner Bell, Dylan Fazekas, Hines and Cody Luman. Dylan Miller and Brandon Goldston were both hit by pitches with the bases loaded to drive in a run each. Goldston's was a hard fastball to the helmet. He was taken to the hospital for precautionary tests, where he was quickly discharged in good condition.

MWC Memorial Day Tournament Championship Game (Midwest City, OK)
Travelers 6, OKC Sandlot 1 (5-1)
The Travelers notched their first tournament championship of the season and 41st overall since re-naming itself the Elk City Travelers in 2002 with a 6-1 win over a potent OKC Sandlot squad at Rose State University. The Travelers once again got a stellar effort from the pitching staff as lefties Taylor Varnell (of Sayre) and Tyler Parks (Red Oak) teamed up on the mound. Varnell recorded the win. He scattered four hits through five innings, walking one and striking out seven. Parks earned the save, retiring the last six batters in order with three strikeouts. Sandlot took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third innings, but the Travelers struck back with two in the bottom half as Dylan Miller singled and D.J. Gasso walked before Tanner Bell drove one home with a single and Walker Hines the other on a groundout. The Travelers put it away with four more runs in the sixth. Tanner Bell and Hines both singled before Dylan Fazekas (of Red Oak) blasted a two-run ringing double over the center-fielder for a 4-1 lead. Brock Carter and Dylan Miller drove in the last two runs for the final margin.

Tourney Notes: Travelers pitcher Matt Benedict was named the Most Valuable Player for the event. The Tupelo native went 2-0 on the mound in the tournament. In two complete-game efforts the right-hander allowed just one run and nine hits in 12 innings of work while striking out 17. Tanner Bell (9-for-19, 6 runs & 6 RBI), Tyler Melton (8-for-19, 5 runs, 2 RBI) and Walker Hines (7-for-17, 5 runs, 6 RBI) led the charge offensively.

Oklahoma Ball 7, Travelers 2 (4-1)
(MWC Memorial Day, Pool Play) - The Travelers dropped their first game of the year in the final game of pool play after already locking up a spot in the finals. Oklahoma Ball took a 3-2 lead in the fifth and tacked on four more runs in the sixth to earn the victory. The Travelers' bats went cold after plating single runs in the second and third innings to knot the score 2-2. Tyler Melton had two hits, including a double, and scored one of the two runs. Walker Hines singled and scored the other. Gunnar Cook took the loss on the mound, allowing five runs on four hits in two and one-third innings of relief. Starter Cody Luman allowed two runs on four hits in his three innings of work while Logan Fertic allowed just one hit while recording the final five outs of the game for the Travelers. Rookie 15-year-old catchers Brody Shook and Brandon Goldston (both from Leedey) were the highlight of the day. Each threw out runners on the bases and impressed in their first action behind the dish.

Travelers 10, Midwest City Outlaws 0 (4-0)
(MWC Memorial Day, Pool Play) - The Travelers scored at least two runs in each inning, supplying starting pitcher Matt Benedict with more than enough support in the run-rule victory. Benedict struck out six of the 20 batters he faced, scattering four hits while allowing just one baserunner to advance as far as third base. The Traveler offense came up with several clutch, two-out hits, plating two runs in each of the first three innings before adding four more in the fourth. Red Oak's Dylan Fazekas went 2-for-2 with a sac-fly and two RBI in his first game with the squad this summer. Elk City's Dylan Miller added two singles and an RBI. Tyler Parks, Tanner Bell and Walker Hines also recorded RBI. Hines made several nice defensive plays at first base while Norman North's D.J. Gasso made the play-of-the-day, making an incredible catch in foul territory (over his shoulder) just in front of the bullpen wall.

Travelers 11, Edmond Memorial 6 (3-0)
(MWC Memorial Day, Pool Play) - A six-run fourth inning was the key as the Travelers opened up an 11-1 lead before settling on an 11-6 victory. Tyler Melton, Tanner Bell, Walker Hines and Brock Carter all drove in a pair of runs in the game, which featured 18 Traveler hits. Bell led the way with a 4-for-5 effort at the plate, while Hines belted a pair of doubles. Starting pitcher Logan Fertic threw a pair of scoreless innings to start the game. Weston Cole added three innings of work before Tyler Parks earned the official scorer's victory decision with two innings of no-hit relief.

Travelers 5, Oklahoma Drillers 0 (2-0)
(MWC Memorial Day, Pool Play) - Sayre's Taylor Varnell and Elk City native Gunnar Cook combined to fire a 1-hit shutout. The only hit of the game knocked Varnell off the mound as a hard come-backer bruised his shin. Cook continued the dominance on the mound with three innings of no-hit relief as the Travelers tacked on insurance runs in the sixth and seventh innings after taking an early 2-0 lead. Red Oak's Tyler Parks led the charge at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Sentinel's Brock Carter belted the team's first homerun, a solo blast in the sixth. Tyler Melton added a double. Varnell recorded six strikeouts in his four innings while Cook added five.

Travelers 7, RealTree Baseball 1 (1-0)
(MWC Memorial Day, Pool Play) - Tupelo native Matt Benedict scattered five hits over seven innings and struck out 11 in a complete-game effort to get the Travelers their first win on the new season. He was helped by a flawless defense. The Travelers trailed 1-0 until the fourth inning when Cody Luman, Walker Hines and Dylan Miller hit consecutive two-out singles, plating a pair for a 2-1 lead. A five-run eruption in the fifth sealed the win. Tanner Bell (2-run double) and Miller (2-run single) had the big knocks in the inning. Miller finished with three RBI. Brock Carter also added an RBI. Luman scored two runs in the game.