TAHLEQUAH DAILY PRESS — The Tahlequah Desperados American Legion baseball team ended its season with a split of a doubleheader against Joplin on the road.
With their 4-0 win in the second game, the Desperados ended their season with five wins in the last six games in the Three Rivers Junior High League.
They also avenged a sweep they took from Joplin earlier in the season at Phoenix Park.
“I’m proud of the guys,” said Desperados coach Sergio Espinal.
In the second game, Stephen Wheeler pitched a complete game shutout to lead Tahlequah to a 4-0 win.
Wheeler allowed just three hits and had three strikeouts in the game.
“Wheeler did a great job,” said Espinal. “He’s been our most consistent pitcher. It’s good for him and good for the team.”
The Desperados got on the board early with two runs in the top of the first inning.
Wheeler recorded the first RBI with a single to score Logan Lewis, who had reached on a leadoff single.
He scored later in the inning on a Lane Cobb RBI groundout to give Tahlequah the 2-0 lead.
Ronnie Hallum added another run in the third inning when he hit an RBI single to score Wheeler for the second time in the game. Wheeler had reached on a walk.
The Desperados added their final run in the fourth.
Wheeler had his second RBI single of the game to score Lewis and put Tahlequah on top 4-0.
“We kind of scored early and played good defense,” said Espinal. “It’s always good to finish with a win.”
In the first game of the night, Joplin scored five runs in the third and six in the fourth to beat the Desperados 13-2 in four innings.
After Joplin jumped out to the early 1-0 lead, the Desperados evened the game in the top of the second with a run.
Connor Mutzig had an RBI groundout to score Hallum. He had reached base on an error.
The Miners then retook the lead in the second, but Tahlequah responded once again in the top of the third with another run to tie the game at 2-to-2.
After Zach Armstrong got on base with a walk, Wheeler hit an RBI single to score Armstrong. In all, Wheeler had three RBIs in the two games against Joplin.
The Miners then scored five in the third and six in the fourth to take command of the game and pick up the run-rule win.
With the split on Thursday, the Tahlequah Desperados finished the regular season with a league record of 9-9.
The Desperados now await the start of the Three Rivers Junior High Summer League Tournament which begins next Monday.
Tahlequah’s first game is Monday when they take on Miami at Grove. The tournament runs through Friday with games at both Grove and Vinita.
“I feel confident,” said Espinal. “We’ve gotten better. We have come around and improved.”
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File photo by Jeremy Short
Discussion
A strong finish
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All-State ending
Emily Linebarger walked out of the Oklahoma City Tennis Center unsure of her All-State prospects. The Tahlequah senior had just wrapped up her tennis career with a, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, loss to Booker T. Washington’s Audrey Still at the Class 5A state tournament.
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Madison Carey continues a family legacy with All-State selection in doubles play.
In 1980, Karen Carter — now known as Karen Carey — became an All-State tennis player at Tahlequah High School. Thirty-two years later, her daughter has followed in her footsteps.
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