OAKVILLE — The Oakville Acorns returned to their high-scoring ways with a 16-2 blowout of 2B North Beach in their first game on their home field in four years at Oakville High School Thursday afternoon.
Dre Kluth and Koner Burnett tore up the Hyaks’ pitching in the third and fourth spots in the lineup, as Kluth finished 4-4 and drove in two runs while Burnett’s two doubles plated four runs. The Acorns opened up a 7-0 lead in the first inning and cruised the rest of the way.
“Koner has been good defensively and offensively for us, and I don’t think Dre has gotten out yet, which is awesome to see,” first-year head coach DeVonte Ford said.
He's right, as Kluth has nine hits in 14 plate appearances and has walked twice, been hit by a pitch twice and grounded into a fielder's choice once.
Oakville (2-1) is up to 60 runs scored this season in just three games. In his first start of the season, Daniel Rodas shined in four innings of work, allowing just two hits and two runs while striking out seven and walking five. He started his day by catching three different Hyaks looking at strike three in the first inning.
“That’s what we expected from him. Any guy can go out there and deal any day, so it was nice to see,” Ford said.
Each of the first five Acorns reached base safely in the bottom of the first, and even on their first out, Kluth scored on a dropped third strike. Oakville continued to pile on after leading 7-0 after one, bringing three runs home in each of the second, third and fourth innings. Burnett’s second double of the contest scored the final three runs to give the Acorns their second win of the season.
The Acorns have scored at least two runs in nine of their 14 innings this season, a trend that Ford believes can be sustained as the competition gets tougher.
“It’s our goal. Our mentality is we’re always thinking two or three out of the boxes and that we own the bases,” he said. “We’re looking to put up multiple runs, and we’re not satisfied unless we do.”
Oakville will look to continue its offensive tear when it visits Wahkiakum on Wednesday, April 2 at 4 p.m.
