Stewarts Creek's baseball team overcame a slow start with a six-run fourth inning and a dominating pitching to take the first of a three-game series with Oakland on Tuesday.
Red Hawks pitcher Austin Steel went the distance in the 6-1 win, striking out seven and improving to 4-0 on the season. Two of his K's were in the seventh to close out the game.
Steel said protecting a lead like that puts him in the mindset of a closer.
"Just trusting my hitters. Them being able to come out and score runs every night I get out there and pitch gives me a lot of confidence to keep throwing strikes, and keep getting them easy plays to get outs," said the senior Freed-Hardeman University signee.