It’s been 52 years
Wildcats advance to state for first time since 1972
The 2024 season has been a historic one for Oak Ridge on the baseball diamond.
But the epic saga written by the Wildcats has a few chapters left before it’s completed.
Oak Ridge recently earned its first state tournament berth in more than five decades when it notched an 8-3 victory over Sevier County Thursday in the Section 1-4A playoffs in Sevierville in the decisive game in a best-of-three series.
In the state sectional against the Smoky Bears, the Wildcats showed the srength they have had all season, culminating the series with a victory.
“These kids have been resilient all year, 100 percent,” ORHS fifth-year Coach Travis Free said. “We’ve never panicked. That’s why we played the schedule that we played, both where we played and who we played.”
Kyhren Welch helped the Wildcats punch their first ticket to the state tournament since 1972 as he went 2-for-3 with a double, four RBIs and a run scored. Peyton Witter was 1-for-3 with his bat. He drove in a pair of runs.
He also picked up the win against the Smoky Bears on the mound as he pitched five innings, allowing one run, two hits and three walks.
He recorded seven strikeouts before giving way to Alex Franklin, who pitched the final two innings. He gave up two runs and four hits in the winner-take-all third game.”
Oak Ridge also won the first game of the series, claiming an 8-4 decision in nine innings on Wednesday, May 15.
Freshman Parker Free (the coach’s son) delivered the decisive blow as he came up with a three-run double in the top of the ninth. He was 2-for-5 and knocked in four runs for the Wildcats.
Kam Welch had three hits and scored two runs.
Caden Black was 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored, while Mikee Teasley went 1-for-4. He doubled and scored two runs. He also had an RBI in the series.
In Game 2, the Wildcats came up on the short end in a 1-0 pitchers’ duel as Sevier County left-hander Brady Scott outlasted Oak Ridge’s Kam Welch, a sophomore lefty.
Teasley and Khyren Welch accounted for the Wildcats’ two hits. Kam Welch pitched a complete game for ORHS, surrendering the only run of the contest in the top of the third inning. He yielded three hits and struck out seven.
