Falcons see dry diamond at Jamboree

Parker Bax of Blair Oaks throws a pitch to Jaden Hoskins of Fatima on Monday at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.
Parker Bax of Blair Oaks throws a pitch to Jaden Hoskins of Fatima on Monday at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.

The Blair Oaks Falcons were just happy to set foot on a baseball field this preseason.

With the combination of snow and rain through the first two weeks of the baseball season, Monday's Jamboree at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex was the first time the Falcons even practiced - let alone scrimmaged - on the diamond. And it might be their only chance before Saturday's season opener.

"We've been taking some groundballs on the turf (on the football field), stuff like that," Blair Oaks coach Mike DeMilia said. "We're not quite ready to play a game, so we knew there'd be some hiccups."

Blair Oaks won its first scrimmage 4-2 against Fatima before dropping its next two, 9-2 to Jefferson City and 2-0 to Helias. Each scrimmage lasted three innings.

It was the first time Falcons' pitchers faced batters this spring.

"I was really happy with the pitching," DeMilia said. "I thought we threw strikes for the most part, and when we didn't, at least we were around the zone."

And likewise, it was the first time the offense saw live hitting, as opposed to the batting cage.

The Falcons struggled the first time through the order against Fatima, but they found their timing the second time through the lineup. With a 1-2 count, Parker Bax lined a two-run double to left-center field, scoring Lane Libbert and Nolan Hair to put Blair Oaks on top 3-2 in the third inning.

"Parker's a good hitter," DeMilia said. "When he's right, he's as good as anyone around, when it comes to putting the ball in play with authority."

David Dell had an RBI and a double against the Jays. Levi Haney had the team's lone hit with a single against the Crusaders.

Blair Oaks sent nine different pitchers to the mound for each of the nine innings across the three scrimmages. Bax and Cade Stockman each struck out two batters.

In the second inning against Helias, the Blair Oaks defense recorded two outs on the basepaths, which included throwing out a runner at home trying to score on a wild pitch.

"It worked out for us, but more times than not, that's not going to work out," DeMilia said.

The Falcons return several key players after graduating only two seniors last season.

"This whole team, if they weren't on varsity (last year), they played significant roles on JV or the freshman team," DeMilia said.

Blair Oaks plays a doubleheader Saturday at Camdenton, beginning at 10 a.m.