Hitters Break Out; Bash Suffolk Christian

Sophomore Joe Morrison had three hits and four runs-batted-in and eighth grader Hunter Flora had three hits and three RBIs to power the Oaks baseball team to a 12-3 win over Suffolk Christian on Saturday.

Eighth grader Jackson Burke and senior Cabell Thomas added two RBIs each in a 15-hit Oaks attack.

Sophomore Paul Mahoney pitched the first three innings, yielding one run, before being relieved by senior Mark Howlett who worked through early trouble to pitch four innings.

The Oaks scored three in the third when Howlett was hit by a pitch before Cabell Thomas singled. Paul Mahoney walked before Jimmy Hurley reached on an error scoring the second run. Morrison’s two-out single to center plated the third run.

In the fourth inning, Collegiate scored five times. Jack McCaffrey singled, Howlett reached on an error, and Thomas singled, scoring a run. Mahoney singled to plate another before Flora and Morrison each stroked two-out hits to score runs.

In the sixth, Collegiate added four more. Hurley singled to open the inning, moving up on Flora’s double before Morrison’s single down the rightfield line scored a pair. Burke doubled to drive in Morrison before Connor Hopkins singled to score Burke.

On Thursday, the Oaks could not preserve a 3-1 lead and fell to Norfolk Christian 5-3.

Collegiate broke on top when Thomas reached on an error, then scored on a second error in the first inning. In the third, Howlett singled, stole a base and went to third on a fielder’s choice before scoring on another error. Morrison singled to right, but the Oaks could not score more. Thomas had the only other hit for Collegiate.

The team plays Tuesday at Norfolk Academy.

For more pictures, go to Oaks Baseball 2014.