Baseball: Fort Atkinson fended off by Oregon 7-4

Oregon jumped ahead in the middle innings, holding off Fort Atkinson’s baseball team 7-4 in a Badger Large game at Jones Park on Tuesday.

The Blackhawks led 2-0 from the get-go. Braden Hausen drew a lead off walk in the first inning and Braeden Hoth followed by bunting for a hit. After a 6-4-3 double play, Jordan Zahn came through with a two-run single.

Brock Buskager’s two-run single in the Oregon third tied it up. The Panthers added three runs on three hits in the fourth to take the lead for good. Caden Goins led off the inning with a single and scored on an error in the infield. Emmet Marcin reached on an infield error, scoring on Ryan Dins’ single before lead off man Hayden Derlein added an RBI double to left.

Fort (3-7, 1-4 in conference) chipped away with a run in the sixth off an error but stranded the bases loaded.

Buskager allowed three runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings to earn the decision. Hans Wess got the game’s final five outs for the Panthers (3-6, 2-3).

Mason Ketterhagen started for Fort, allowing six runs (three earned) on eight hits in five frames in the loss. Jackson Leibman worked the final two innings.

“Tonight was a tough one to stomach, but it came down to a lot of instances where baseball plays have to be made defensively...fielding bunts, making routine throws, being in the right position and hitting cut offs,” Fort baseball coach Andy Schwantes said. “We didn’t do ourselves many favors on defense even though Mason and Jackson pitched very well and gave us a chance.

“Offensively, we had opportunities to put up enough runs beyond the four we got to really take control of the game but couldn’t capitalize. Sometimes baseball serves you tough love and you have to embrace it and overcome it. We struggled to do that tonight.”

Fort travels to face Oregon on Thursday.

OREGON 7, FORT ATKINSON 4Oregon 002 310 1 — 7 11 1

Fort 200 001 1 — 4 7 5

Leading hitters — O: Derlein 2x5 (2B), Goins 2x4, Dins 2x4 (2B).

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so) — O: Buskager W; 5.2-7-3-3-4-4, Wess 1.1-0-1-0-1-2; FA: Ketterhagen L; 5-8-6-3-1-2, Leibman 2-2-1-1-1-1.