Grain Valley eliminates Van Horn in district

Oddo sparks Eagles baseball team into semifinals; Oak Grove eliminated

By Staff reports

The Examiner

Posted May 16, 2009 @ 10:49 PM

Last update May 17, 2009 @ 06:19 PM

Oak Grove, MO —

Sophomore Jordan Oddo was too much for Van Horn.
He allowed only three hits, struck out 10 and walked none in pitching Grain Valley to an 11-2 first-round victory in the Class 3 District 14 tournament at Oak Grove's Webb Park Saturday.
“Oddo came out and did a good job,” Grain Valley coach Mark Lyford said. “He threw strikes and we played pretty good defense and scored in almost every inning. It was good to get that first district win.”
Grain Valley (15-5) supported Oddo with an 11-hit attack. David Richards singled twice and hit a two-run homer, Jake Talamonte singled and hit a solo homer and Shay Parra singled twice with three RBIs.
Aaron Driskell suffered the loss as Van Horn finished a successful 12-3 season. He also singled twice.
“It was a pretty good season,” Van Horn coach Tim Wilson said. “We got a lot better as the season went on. We had a really young, young team. We battled some adversity and won a tournament (at Center). We did some things Van Horn had not done in awhile. The future looks pretty good.”

ST. PIUS X 3, OAK GROVE 1: Oak Grove made it close but saw its season come to an end with a loss to St. Pius X in the first round Saturday.

The Panthers could manage just two hits while finishing 4-20, meaning the end of the high school careers of seniors Riley Glasgow, Jacob Horn, Richard Luna and Paul Shores.

“This game was much like our season – we gave ourselves opportunities, we just couldn’t seem to get the job done in the end,” Oak Grove coach Kirk Sears said. “Some of that has to be attributed to a very good St. Pius team.

“Our kids played well, and I am very proud of them. Over the final two weeks, we became a completely different team. It would have been easy for the guys to have packed it in, but they came out, worked hard and did everything they could to turn the season around.”

Luna had one of the hits, two stolen bases and scored the lone run, which tied it 1-1 in the top of the second. St. Pius scored singles runs in each of the fourth and sixth to pull out the win.

Horn suffered the loss, allowing six hits, four walks and striking out six in a complete game.

CLASS 3 DISTRICT14 TOURNAMENT
At Oak Grove
GRAIN VALLEY 11, VAN HORN 2
Van Horn 001 100 0 — 2 3 0
Grain Valley 041 132 x — 11 11 0
Driskell, Davis (5) and Jones; Oddo and Parra. W-Oddo. L-Driskell. HR: Richards, Talamonte, Grain Valley.

ST. PIUS X 3,OAK GROVE 1

Oak Grove 010 000 0 -- 1 2 1

St. Pius X 100 101 x -- 3 6 2

Horn and Taylor; McConnell and J. Baker. W-McConnel. L-Horn.

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