Oviedo holds Off Dr. Phillips, 6-5, In O-Town Classic

Box Score

If Monday afternoon’s ball game is any indication, us baseball fans are in for a wild week of action at the O-Town Classic at The First Academy. Playing the second game of the day, the Oviedo Lions prevailed 6-5 over the Dr. Phillips Panthers, in a seesaw battle that saw the lead change hands three times.

Oviedo (7-4) jumped out in front right out of the gates, with three runs in the top of the first inning. But the Panthers answered back with a four-run fourth inning to jump ahead, before the Lions swung right back with three more runs in the fifth that gave them the lead for good. But Dr. Phillips (1-10) was not finished, clawing back with a run in the bottom of the seventh that also landed the tying runner into scoring position at second base.

Oviedo closer Bryce Francher got the job done to close out the game and secure the win for his club. The junior induced an infield ground out to record the final out, finishing off an impressive relief performance. Francher went the final three-and-a-third innings to pick up the save, and he piled up six strikeouts while allowing one earned run on five hits and a walk.

But offense was the name of the game in this one, as both sides had nine hits on the day. Brody Cone was 2-for-3 with an RBI and Ramses De Maio was 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead Dr. Phillips. Oviedo had three guys all collect multiple hits, as Cooper Pittman was 2-for-3 with two runs, Kaiden Lopez was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs, and Colin Napier went 2-for-3 with an RBI.

It was Cooper Pittman who got it going right from the start, as he led off the contest with a base hit to left field. After Pittman stole second to get into scoring position and amp up the pressure, Marco Gonzalez lined an RBI double to left that put the Lions on the scoreboard. Gonzalez soon followed off an RBI single from Kaiden Lopez, who in turn scored thanks to an RBI infield ground out by Brock Goodwin.

That 3-0 advantage held up until the fourth. The first three batters all reached base to load the bases for the Panthers, as Ryan Pyka led off with an infield single, Jose Diaz walked and Brody Cone singled to left. Austin Haley then got Dr. Phillips on the scoreboard by getting the ball on the ground with the bags full and no outs, resulting in a fielder’s choice RBI that erased the runner at second.

Christopher Pedrinan then came through with the big hit, as he lifted a double to left field that drove in a pair to tie up the game. With all the momentum now in their favor, Ramses De Maio delivered the go-ahead score with an RBI infield single.

The seesaw quickly turned back in Oviedo’s favor in the top of the next frame. Pittman reached on a bunt single, and Lopez drove him in with another RBI single that tied it back up for the third time. Kyle Ball came next to break that tie with an RBI single to right, and he then scored the winning run thanks to an RBI single from Napier.

Held in check until being down to their final three outs, the Panthers had enough juice for one more rally that just fell short. Eli Harrison walked with one out and Jose Diaz followed with a single that put runners on the corners, as Cone then plated Harrison with an RBI single to third.

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