NINNEKAH – Tom Hurst’s Owls made it three wins in a row Thursday night at Gene McNatt Field with a double-header sweep of Empire.

Senior Dallas Williams struck out a dozen Bulldogs for a five-inning, no-hit 3-0 win in game one then freshman Derek Farley ended game two early with a two-run walk off single for an 11-1 run-rule.

Pitcher Tyler Smith was only Bulldog to reach base in game one (on an infield error in the top of the fourth) as Williams blew through the Empire lineup.

Smith got tagged for an unearned run in the Owl second when catcher Denver Williams reached on a dropped fly ball and scored on shortstop Devin Robnett’s RBI single. He got Ninnekah in order in the third but Dallas led off the fourth with a single and scored on twin Denver’s triple. Denver scored the Owls’ third run on DH Ricky Lara’s RBI single to left for the win.

Sophomore pitcher Brody Shaw got off to a rough start in game two but settled down and pitched well the rest of the way to notch the game two win.

After walking leadoff hitter Justin Goldsberry, the youngster’s pickoff attempt sailed and Goldsberry ended up on third. He balked Goldsberry in for the Dogs’ only run before retiring Jake Dewey on an infield popup then made another bad throw to first on Tyler Carney’s squibber to put him on second.

But he didn’t rattle and struck out cleanup hitter Jeremy McCormack swinging and five-hole Trevor Pollack looking to get himself out of trouble.

Shaw only allowed one more hit, a harmless double in the second, and struck out the final four Empire hitters, the final three looking at a nasty overhand curveball, for the win.

The Owls gave him a nice cushion with a six-run second frame, aided and abetted with three Empire errors.

Ross Bright worked a bases-loaded walk off starter Tyler Carney then Shaw helped himself with an RBI sacrifice fly to left. A boot on Dallas’ hard shot to short brought two more runs across then Dallas was balked home for the fifth run. Denver singled and later scored run six on an error on Robnett’s grounder to second.

Robnett struck again in the home fourth with another RBI single, pinch-hitter Derek Keef pushed a run across on another infield error then Ethan Skidmore made it 9-1 with an RBI single.

Farley’s rip into left drove in the final two runs for the ten-run lead and the game.

Ninnekah (4-1) will take a few days off then pick back up again with a road trip to 5A Lawton Macarthur for a nooner on Saturday, March 20.



EXTRA INNINGS: Last Friday’s Maysville game had to be re-scheduled then on Tuesday, Denver Williams struck out 13 as the Owls run-ruled Alex 9-1.