Oak Ridge headed to state sectionals
For the first time in more than three decades, the Oak Ridge High School baseball team is headed to the state sectionals.
The Wildcats punched their ticket with a 9-5 victory over Maryville Saturday in the Region 2-4A Tournament at John Heatherly Field at The Ballpark in Farragut.
That win culminated a region tournament stay that packed a little bit of everything for Oak Ridge. It won its first district tournament in more than 20 years on Monday, May 6, when it outlasted top-seeded Knox Central 5-4 at Tommy Schumpert Park in Halls Crossroads.
The biggest prize for the Wildcats was, of course, the state sectional berth. Oak Ridge, however, was also able to get a double taste of revenge against the Rebels, who defeated the Wildcats twice during the 2024 regular season.
In the region tournament finale late Saturday afternoon, the Wildcats started fast as they hung a five-spot in the first inning. They added four more runs in the third to open a 9-0 advantage, and the Rebels never recovered.
Richie Ferreira had two hits in the tournament finale as he went 2-for-4, with two runs scored a double and an RBI. Caden Black, Oak Ridge’s two-time all-state shortstop, was 1-for-3. He drove in three runs, scored two more and recorded a stolen base. Peyton Witter was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored, while Mikee Tesley had a hit, a walk and two stolen bases.
Saturday got off to an inauspicious start as the Wildcats came up on the short end of a 21-2 decision against two-time defending Class 4A state champion and region tournament host Farragut.
The Wildcats opened tournament play Friday afternoon with a 7-1 win over Maryville.
Oak Ridge missed a pair of early scoring opportunities as it had the bases loaded with nobody out, but came up empty.
The Wildcats also left a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the third frame as Black led off the inning with a double and stole third before being stranded on base at inning’s end.
In a scoreless tie, Oak Ridge came up with five runs in the fifth. Teasley came up with a two-run single. Parker Free also drove in a run with a hit. Ferreira drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Parker Free had an RBI hit.
Oak Ridge added two more runs in the sixth to all but put things out of reach.
On the mound, sophomore left-hander Kam Welch tossed a one-hitter and threw six scoreless innings before allowing a run in the seventh. He walked five and struck out 11.
Oak Ridge Coach Travis Free was impressed with Welch’s performance.
“He’s just a dog,” Free said. “He’s a competitor and he brings it and he’s only 15 years old.
“We have a young team and they’re a bunch of good players. Winning this first game was big for us,” he said.
Next up for the Wildcats is a best-of-three series against Region 1-4A champion Sevier County in Sevierville.
The sectional series opens with Game 1 today (May 15). Game time was not set at press time.
Game 2 and, if necessary, Game 3
will be played on Thursday.