By Kyle Roberts
RUSTON, La. — Ruston High (5-4) got a bounce-back run-rule win Tuesday night on the road at Airline (3-7) by a final score of 12-2 thanks in large part to a four-RBI performance by junior JP Moak at the plate.
“Man, we needed that to start a tough five-game stretch on the road,” Ruston High Head Coach Bryan Beck said. “I really challenged our kids after coming off back-to-back losses in the Trey Altick that we needed to compete better at the plate and give our pitching staff better run support. We had a good practice (Sunday) and had a good pregame batting practice. We hit some balls really, really hard and really aggressive today.”
The production started early when Moak got his first of three hits on the day with a single into center field to score senior Jackson Lee. Two batters later, senior Jackson Burroughs singled into right to then score Moak for a 2-0 lead.
Airline would score its only two runs of the night to tie the game 2-2, but it would only take two empty innings for both teams before Ruston to put up a four-spot of runs in the top of the fourth — all with two outs.
Senior Lander Smith first doubled into right field to score both seniors Michael Brisco and Kenden Freeman to give Ruston a 4-2 lead. Lee then brought home pinch runner Tucker Patterson from second, followed by Lee scoring on a single from Moak to go up 6-2.
Not done for the night, Ruston added five more runs in the top of the sixth — again, all with two outs — which was started by Moak doubling to score both Patterson and junior Keilan Davis to go up 8-2. Two batters later, Moak scored from third during an at-bat by sophomore Tyler Osborne, and junior Dillon Williams scored senior Hudson Wood with a single for an 11-2 lead.
Ruston added one final run in the top of the seventh thanks to a sacrifice fly by Lee to score Brisco for the 12-2 score.
Sophomore Hudson Wilkerson got the win after 4.1 innings pitched and striking out four batters along the way.
“That’s how we need to play the game and that’s how we need to approach every game, no matter the opponent,” Beck said. “Airline’s a good baseball team, and we went over on the road and took care of business. And I’m really proud that (Wilkerson) got his first varsity win under his belt.”
Ruston return to action this weekend at the Jay Patterson Shootout in South Louisiana. The Bearcats will start off today playing Destrehan at 4 p.m.
“We’ll enjoy this one today,” Beck said. “Hopefully, this will be good momentum to carry us into a really tough four-game stretch down in Baton Rouge this weekend.”
