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Squirrels dominate Revelers in state tournament opener
CHARLESTON, Mo. — The Charleston Fighting Squirrels bats erupted like a Fourth of July firework show in the opening round of the Babe Ruth State Tournament, hammering the Southern Missouri Revelers into submission with a 15-0 victory on Thursday, July 11 at Hillhouse Park.
The Squirrels' impressive debut performance served as a springboard for their championship aspirations, setting the stage for a deep run in the tournament with a rested pitching staff and sky-high confidence.
“We had a good approach at the plate,” said Squirrels coach Michael Minner. “We hit some balls hard and got all of our bunts down. We did all of the things we hadn’t been doing. We got the ball down in the right positions to put pressure on the defense. We did a good job and it was a full team effort.”
The Squirrels went nuts from the get-go, plating three runs in the bottom of the first. Owen Osborne ignited the rally with an RBI single to score Will Green. Will Friley then followed suit, driving in Osborne with a single of his own. Luke Hester capped the inning with another RBI single, bringing home Lawson Graff.
Charleston tacked on another run in the second when Owen Willis crossed the plate on Brady Smith's sacrifice fly, extending the lead to 4-0.
The Squirrels' offense exploded in the third inning, breaking open a close game with a barrage of hits. Hester set the table with a leadoff double, and the rest of the lineup followed suit, peppering the outfield with line drives and finding holes in the defense.
"We hadn't hit a ball like that in I don't know how long," Minner said. "I challenged them, and Luke Hester answered the call. That’s something we’ve been needing to get our offense going. We did a good job tonight at the plate.”
Tate McDaniel followed Hester's lead with an RBI single, and then chaos ensued.
McDaniel scored on an error, Jack Evans found his way home, and Green delivered a clutch two-RBI single to blow the game wide open. A sacrifice fly brought Green home, pushing the lead to 9-0.
The Squirrels weren't done yet. In the fourth inning, they piled on six more runs, triggering the mercy rule.
Brady Swims scored on a fielder's choice, Hester trotted home on a bases-loaded walk, and Osborne delivered a two-run single. Smith scored on a hit-by-pitch with the bases juiced, and Hester capped the offensive explosion with another RBI single.
Osborne led the offensive charge, going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with four RBIs. Hester matched Osborne's three-hit performance, adding two RBIs of his own.
“We’re a good baseball team when we want to be,” Minner said. “We wanted to be a good baseball team tonight and it showed.”
Peyton Hodges took the mound and carved up the Revelers' lineup like a skilled carpenter, using his full arsenal of pitches to craft a masterpiece of a performance. He yielded just two hits over four innings, striking out five and issuing one walk while keeping the opposition scoreless. His 62-pitch effort (43 strikes) was a clinic in pitching efficiency.
“Peyton Hodges was phenomenal,” Minner said. “He was outstanding throwing strikes, mixing it up and challenging hitters. Our defense made all the plays behind him.”
The Fighting Squirrels (19U) will look to carry their offensive momentum into their next matchup, a much-anticipated showdown against their own 18U squad, who also emerged victorious over the Missouri Marlins in their opening game. The intra-squad battle is set for Saturday at 5:30 p.m., promising a high-intensity clash between two talented teams hungry for a state championship.