Starting a stretch of five games in five days last week, Steven Kemp’s Owensville Dutchmen baseball team hit the road into Phelps County to take on St. James’ Tigers at Nelson Hart Park in a Four Rivers Conference (FRC) showdown that was postponed due to wet field conditions earlier in the month.

Trailing 2-1 after five innings, Owensville tied the game in the top of the sixth inning when Tucker Sassmann singled and scored on a Chris Allen RBI single tying the game at 2-2 after six innings.

Turning four hits and a walk into four runs during the top of the seventh inning, the orange and black turned to Chase Weirich who pitched two innings of scoreless relief helping the Dutchmen escape St. James with a 6-2 win over the host Tigers.

Owensville drew first blood in the top of the first inning when Weirich singled and scored on an Allen RBI sacrifice fly giving OHS an early 1-0 lead.

It stayed that way until the bottom of the fourth inning when St. James turned three hits into a pair of runs leaving Owensville trailing the Tigers 2-1.

Dutchmen starting pitcher Gabe Medlock threw four and two-thirds inning allowing a pair of runs on three hits to go with a walk and three strikeouts.

George Vandegriffe recorded the final out of bottom of the fifth inning leaving the bases full of Tigers.

After Owensville scored in the top of the sixth inning getting Medlock off the hook for the loss, Weirich needed only 26 pitches to keep St. James off the scoreboard over the last two innings of the game.

Out hitting the Tigers 9-4, Owensville got two hits apiece from Weirich, Sassmann and Allen.

During the aforementioned top of the seventh inning, Leyton Homeyer led it off with a triple before scoring on a two-out RBI single from Weirich giving Owensville the lead back at 3-2.

A Sassmann walk then led to consecutive singles from Vandegriffe and Allen helping cap Owensville’s come-from-behind victory at St. James.

Dutchmen at Hermann

Trailing 6-5 after five innings at Dick Ochsner Ball Park in Hermann, Owensville put four runs on the board in the top of the sixth inning starting with Henry Loeb reaching on an error.

Singles by Weirich and Vandegriffe loaded the bases for Allen.

Hitting a 2-2 pitch into left field, Allen drove in Loeb and Weirich giving the Dutchmen a 7-6 lead still with one out in the frame.

Medlock then delivered a RBI ground out scoring Vandegriffe before Henry Womack capped the inning with a RBI double to left field scoring courtesy runner Liam Rasmussen.

Able to limit Hermann to two runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning, Owensville held on for another close FRC victory by a final score of 9-8.

Pitching a scoreless seventh inning, Homeyer earned the win in relief of Sassmann who pitch three and a third innings as the Dutchmen starter allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits.

Bryce Kramme, Vandegriffe and Homeyer combined for five strikeouts in relief.

Accounting for three of Owensville’s nine hits, Allen also drove in a team-high five RBIs.

Scoring a pair of runs each against Hermann for the orange and black were Jax Johnston, Allen, Vandegriffe and Weirich.

Dutchmen at WOW Wood Bat Tournament

Making the long trek to St. Joseph in northwest Missouri, Kemp’s Dutchmen competed in the WOW Wood Bat Tournament over the weekend starting with first-round action Friday against Benton’s (St. Joseph) Cardinals.

Unable to overcome eight runs over the final three innings, Owensville dropped into the consolation side of the bracket after a 10-0 loss in six innings.

Medlock had a pair of hits for OHS while Weirich and Westin Kramme each also had a hit for Owensville against Benton.

Weirich took the loss pitching three and two-thirds innings allowing six runs (two earned) on five hits and three walks to go with five strikeouts.

Cael Walker also pitched an inning and two-thirds of relief allowing four runs on two hits and three walks while striking out two batters.

Consolation semifinal action later on Friday saw Owensville face off against Moberly’s Spartans.

Held to one run on three hits, OHS ended up on the wrong side of a 4-1 final score.

Owensville scored their lone run against the Spartans in the bottom of the fourth inning when Medlock walked and scored stealing home plate.

Recording hits against Moberly for the Dutchmen were Khai Krupp, Westin Kramme and Sassmann.

Closing out the tournament Saturday against Faith Christian Academy (FCA), Owensville had a 1-0 lead entering the bottom of the third inning before the Knights scored five unanswered runs leaving the Dutchmen on the short end of a 5-1 final score.

Scoring their lone run in the top of the third inning, Westin Kramme led the frame off being hit by a pitch before scoring on a Sassmann RBI single.

Limited to three hits against FCA, Sassmann had a pair of hits while Weirich also had a double in the top of the first inning.

Homeyer took the loss pitching five innings allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks to go with eight strikeouts.

On the road at St. Clair Monday night and in Fulton last night (Tuesday), Dutchmen baseball will return to the friendly confines of OHS Field on Friday, April 24 hosting Potosi’s Trojans with a 4:30 p.m., first pitch.