Oilers go out swinging, end season with summer plans

The Salesian Pride defeated the backyard rival Richmond Oilers 11-2 in the first round of the high school baseball playoffs Wednesday evening, ending the Oilers’ season.

The Pride scored six runs in the first two innings off eight walks, seven stolen bases and one hit. After scoring one more run in the third, Salesian’s coaching staff stepped off the gas pedal and played several junior varsity players.

After the game Oilers’ head coach Deryk Hudson told his lineup of 10th and 11th graders that he was proud of them for hanging in there and trying. Each player showed improvement from the previous year, he said.

“We have a lot of baseball in front of us,” the head coach told his squad optimistically as they sat in left field with red practice T-shirts and looked into a setting sun. “[Our team] had a first-team all leaguer, two second-team all leaguers, and two honorable mentions. Next year I want you guys to fight for MVP of the league.”

Before everyone walked off the field for the last time to turn in their jerseys, Hudson told them they should play summer baseball if they wanted to see improvements for next year. “I want you to be really hungry and thirsty to get better,” he said of their summer plans. “You all have really bright futures and that’s what we’re going to take into the summer.”