A night of firsts
- Updated: March 11, 2016
Oxford opens the signature baseball field at Choccolocco Park with a pair of dramatic victories
Oxford’s Judd Moore breaks out of the batters box after delivering his go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning of the first game played on the signature baseball field at Choccolocco Park. (Photo by B.J. Franklin)
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
OXFORD — From the time they learned they were going to be the primary tenants of the signature baseball field at Choccolocco Park the Oxford players had fun projecting each of the “firsts” they were going to get when the Yellow Jackets got on the field for the first time.
Of all the firsts that were possible, shortstop Austin Bolander summed it up best for the program when he said they’d be the first to win there.
The Jackets opened the new park with a lot of firsts Friday night – first hit, first run, first strikeout, etc. — but none of them would be more significant than the first two wins.
They opened the park with a little wow factor in their eyes but eased into their surroundings as the night wore on and pulled off a 6-4 win over Central of Clay County and followed it with an 8-4 come-from-behind win over Brooks.
“It was awesome to open the park with two wins,” Oxford coach Wes Brooks said. “I saw a lot of things that we maybe looked like we were uncomfortable being here, but that’s understandable in anything (that’s new).
“I just felt like we weren’t ourselves, but as the second game went on I felt like we kind of found ourselves. The intent of our dugout got back to where it was supposed to be.
“I’m just proud for the City of Oxford to be able to come out and watch our program play hard and come away with two wins late; it just makes it a great day. But the same time our Oxford High School baseball philosophy is winning the pitch and maybe, I felt like, we didn’t win as many pitches as we have been.”
The Jackets (10-3) won the opener when nine-hole-hitter Judd Moore ripped a two-run single through the Volunteers’ second baseman and into short centerfield to snap a 4-4 tie in the sixth inning. The Vols tied it in the top of the inning on Chris Ogle’s RBI single and Dustin Hardy’s run-scoring infield out.
Moore came with two outs after Chance Adams and courtesy runner Carson Lindsey made their way into scoring position through a series of wild pitches and stolen bases.
“My team was behind me and I had confidence I was going to get a hit,” Moore said. “I knew I hit it hard and I knew if it took the right bounce it would get past him, and it did. I guess the baseball gods were with me. I’ll remember this for the rest of my life.”
The Jackson won the nightcap with a five-run sixth after the Lions took a 4-3 lead in the top of the inning.
Their first five batters of the inning reached and scored. Andy Hammond put them ahead for good with a two-run double, the second of two RBI doubles he hit in the game.
Brennan McCullough drove in Hammond with the first run ever scored in the ballpark in the third inning of the Clay Central game. McCullough likes the new park; he reached base all six times he came to plate in the doubleheader.
“It was great just getting to play on the field; it’s amazing what the City has done,” McCullough said. “Just to be the first to be on the field is one thing, but getting the (first) RBI was great.”
Brennan McCullough drove in the first run scored on the signature baseball field at Choccolocco Park Friday night. He also reached base all six times he batted in the doubleheader. (Photo by B.J. Franklin)
Here are the firsts from the signature baseball field at Choccolocco Park Friday night
First pitch: 5:31 p.m. by Oxford’s Jacob Sears (ball high)
First walk: Clay Central’s Tyler Smith in the first inning
First out: P Jacob Sears to 2B Trey Hopper on Clay Central’s Austin Smith sacrifice bunt
First strikeout: Jacob Sears (Blair Lacy looking)
First hit: Clay Central’s Chip Ogle flare single to LF in the second inning
First run: Oxford’s Andy Hammond, scoring from second on Brennan McCullough’s single through the box in the second inning
First double: Oxford’s Brennan McCullough one-hop off right-field fence in the fourth inning
First stolen base: Oxford’s Austin Bolander in the fifth inning (second base)
First win: Oxford 6, Central of Clay County 5
“Awesome crowd,” Brooks said. “I think a lot of folks came out maybe for the first time and even if they just didn’t really care about baseball they were here wanting to be a part of something that happened for the very first time.
“Obviously if the guys continue to play the game hard, not necessarily win on the scoreboard, but if they continue to play the game the way it’s supposed to play, then more people will come and watch because they are proud someone is out there giving that extra effort.”
Oxford’s Carson Lindsey (12) tries to get to the bag before Clay Central third baseman Shea Cronin can lay down the tag. (Photo by B.J. Franklin)
On the cover: Former Oxford baseball coach Charlie Maniscalco, the man credited with making baseball important at Oxford, throws out the ceremonial first pitch in the Yellow Jackets’ first game at Choccolocco Park.
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