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The Oak Hall Eagles soared high in the first round of the 1A-District 5 baseball tournament Tuesday in beating Countryside Christian 16-3. The dominant five-inning performance marked a strong start to their fifth consecutive state playoff run.
Heating Up
The game got off to a quick start. Countryside Christian (14-6) scored two runs in the first inning, but Oak Hall (8-8) was not silent long.
Almost every batter for Oak Hall reached base, either through walks or solid hits. Gavin Jones and Graham Rosenstone both drove in runs to tie the game in the home half of the first before Rosenstone scored to give Oak Hall the lead for good at 3-2 to end the first inning.
In the top of the second, Oak Hall’s Cameron Currier and Rosenstone made key catches on popups and Jones, the senior pitcher, struck out a batter. Three up, three down.
Great hit from Braden Farmer. Top of the second with Oak Hall 3 Countryside 2. pic.twitter.com/r5cK86B1cj
— Kennedy Cusack (@Kennedycusack) April 15, 2025
Commanding Lead
Oak Hall carried that momentum into the bottom of the second. The highlight of the game came when Jones launched a pitch over the wall for a grand slam to put Oak Hall up 7-2. A series of wild pitches and fielding errors allowed Oak Hall to add nine more runs during the 30-minute second inning. Oak Hall’s lineup cycled through two times, with Brayden Farmer, Aaron Akins, Rosenstone and Currier each scoring twice. By the end of the inning, Oak Hall led 16-3.
The rest of the game was quieter compared to the second inning. Countryside Christian hit a solo home run in the third for the game’s the final run.
Sophomore Bo Kuzmicki took the mound for Oak Hall and struck out batters in the third and fourth innings. In the fourth, Jones, now at third, and senior catcher Brody Beaupre (Florida Southern College signee) shut down a scoring chance by sandwiching a runner in between third and home. The game was called because of the run rule after the fifth inning.
Senior Gavin Jones with a GRAND SLAM! pic.twitter.com/YoYbWytm0Q
— Kennedy Cusack (@Kennedycusack) April 15, 2025
Up Next
With only five seniors and juniors, Oak Hall is a relatively young team. Coach Kevin Maris said he is proud of how his team has matured and stepped up and he holds high hopes for the rest of the season.
“Our goal is to win district championships and the state tournament,” he said.
Interview with coach Kevin Marris after the Oak Hall Eagles win their first playoff game against the Countryside Christian Minutemen. pic.twitter.com/lYmemcbOvV
— Bruna Arnaes (@bruna_arnaes) April 16, 2025
Oak Hall will play Saint Francis Catholic (18-6) on Thursday at 4 p.m. for the tournament title and a berth in the region playoffs.
