Lions drop narrow verdicts to Tahlequah

Rain played havoc with the end of the week after the Durant Lions dropped a pair of narrow district baseball decisions to Tahlequah.

The Lions fell 4-1 in a nail biter at home to start the two-game set before a 3-0 loss in the second game in spite of solid pitching efforts.

In the first meeting, Tahlequah grabbed an early 1-0 edge in taking advantage of a pair of first inning hit batsmen.

Durant countered in the third, however, as Ryder Jones singled with one out. Cole Robbins then coaxed a walk before Lucas and Eli McClure followed with consecutive singles that knotted the score.

The Lions left the bases loaded however and the score remained tied until Tahlequah pushed across a run in the fifth stanza and finished the scoring with two more in the seventh.

Coach J.W. Parsons squad had three other hits in the game as Holdan Robinson doubled and Kegan Neill and Jared Avalos added singles.

Robinson got the mound started and absorbed the decision despite yielding only two runs on five hits with four strikeouts in four innings. Reid Thompson fired the final three frames, yielding two runs on four hits and added one strikeout. They combined to issue 11 free passes however.

Robbins turned on a stellar pitching performance in the second meeting, striking out 11 batters while tossing a complete game. He scattered nine hits and walked one but limited the Tigers to just three runs.

Durant managed just two hits offensively in taking the league loss as Lucas McClure and Avalos tallied one apiece.

The Lions are slated to return home Saturday for a 2 p.m. meeting with Plainview before returning to district action Monday when they will host defending champ Sapulpa at 5 p.m.