By Kyle Roberts
MINDEN, La. — Another day, another win for Ruston High.
Thanks in large part to four RBI’s by sophomore left fielder John Parker Moak, the Bearcats (18-6) took a 16-6 win over the Glenbrook Apaches (10-8) in a road contest and bringing the streak to 13 straight for Ruston High.
“Our kids found a way to put up 16 runs tonight offensively while we pitched seven different guys tonight,” Ruston High head coach Bryan Beck said. “I’m very proud of our kids for not getting too high or too low in these games — they have lots of confidence that they can put together a big inning at any given time in the ballgame, and that’s what we’ve done during our last several games.”
The Bearcats got on the scoreboard in the top of the first when Moak tripled into center field with one out to score junior Jackson Lee from third base, putting the Bearcats up 1-0.
After Glenbrook answered with two runs in the bottom of the first inning in what would be the only Apache lead of the night, Ruston would tie the game 2-2 in the top of the second inning when junior Hudson Wood hit a sacrifice fly into right to score senior Carter Love from third.
The Bearcats added three more in the top of the third inning to go up 5-2 after junior Nolan Parnell doubled into right to score both Lee and senior Peyton Martin. Love would hit a ground ball in the next at-bat to score Parnell and give Ruston its third run of the inning.
The Apaches would tie the game 5-5 after the bottom of the third, but an explosive fourth for Ruston added six runs for the Bearcats. Senior Kolby Sonnier began the onslaught of runs with a grounded that scored senior Jake Simmons — thanks in part to a Glenbrook error. After freshman Dalen Powell was brought in to pinch-run for Sonnier, he would score after Lee singled into left field and put Ruston up 7-5. Martin would then draw a walk in the next at-bat, putting runners on first and second base. Moak would then hit a two-RBI single into right field and score both Lee and Martin. Two batters later, Love singled into left and scored both Moak and pinch runner sophomore Davis Demoss, putting Ruston up 11-5.
Glenbrook would score its final run of the night in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Ruston added three more in the top of the fifth — first with Sonnier bunting and reaching on an error in a play where Wood would score and put Ruston up 12-6. After Lee drew a walk in the next at-bat, Martin hit a groundout to first and scored Powell from third. Moak would then get his third hit of the night with a single to first base, scoring Lee and putting Ruston up 14-6.
Ruston added another run with a Lee double in the top of the sixth to score Powell and plated one more in the top of the seventh when senior Jake Tyler reached on an error to score senior Caleb Hampton for the 16-6 final score.
Ruston put out a total of seven pitches, with no one throwing more than 1.1 innings. Both freshman Max Pyles and sophomore Sam Hartwell recorded a pair of strikeouts apiece.
Besides Moak, all of Parnell, Love and Simmons had multiple hits on the night.
The Bearcats will be in action tonight against ASH at 6 p.m. at home after preemptively rescheduling a Friday matchup due to possible severe weather.
“With the ASH game getting moved, we needed to have everyone ready these next two games,” Beck said. “We planned on throwing a lot of arms tonight to get some work and to be available for the next two days against a very good Trojan team. No rest for us — we will need to find a way to muster some energy up and get after it.”
