Tribune photo by John Byrne - Spanish Springs first baseman Justin Agliolo digs out a throw in the dirt during third-inning action of the Cougars’ 14-10 home win Friday afternoon.
Losses in the first two games of the series Wednesday and Thursday had already saddled Spanish Springs with the HDL’s
fourth and final playoff seed. The Cougars (16-15, 10-8 HDL) will open the Northern 4A Tournament with a first-round playoff at Sierra League champion Douglas. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.
In Friday’s win, Spanish Springs scored three runs in both the first and second innings, jumping out to a 6-1 lead. The Cougars scored in every inning.
Jake Bray and Tanner Oates both doubled to ignite the first-inning rally. After singles by Bray and Adam Miller in the second, Oates crushed a three-run homer.
Spanish Springs scored single runs in the third and fourth and was clinging to an 8-5 edge as it came up in the bottom of the fifth. That’s when the local school, seized firm control, putting together a big five-run rally. Oates cashed in again, bashing a grand slam to highlight the Cougars’ frame.
Oates was 4-for-4 at the plate on the day, finishing with a double, two home runs and eight RBIs.
“We needed to come out and hit the ball well. That was nice. And Tanner Oates had a day,” SSHS assistant coach Ben Hofmann said. “We all knew that when it was 6-1 and 8-3 that we had to keep hitting and scoring. McQueen has just been red hot and we knew we had to keep putting runs on the board.”
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