The Oakville American Legion varsity team traveled last weekend to Mountain Home, Ark., dropping two of three games in tournament play.

“We went 1-2 and should have played better,” Oakville head coach Matt Boyer told the Call. “Overall the boys still played well. We played well enough to win.”

Oakville opened up tournament play with a commanding 8-0 win over Russellville, Ark.

“We basically started off with a tight game,” Boyer said. “We really broke the game open in the fifth inning where we scored four runs.”

Starting pitcher Matt Pressler pitched a six-inning no-hitter for Oakville, giving up just two walks, while striking out three.

“Matt was really keeping the ball down and was using his defense,” Boyer said. “His last couple of starts have been the Matt Pressler that everyone’s use to seeing.”

Designated hitter Tony Maus got things started in the first inning with a home run that electrified the Oakville bench.

Maus finished the game with a 2-2 performance with one walk and one run batted in.

“He (Maus) started off in the first inning and got a low and inside pitch and turned on it,” Boyer said. “He really got the team pumped up.”

First baseman Kevin Bruch also had a strong day at the plate with a 1-3 performance that included three runs batted in and a home run in the fifth inning.

“Kevin ran into some bad luck at the beginning of the season,” Boyer said. “He’s really starting to find the holes now.”

Oakville shortstop Brian Randolph also had a home run in the fifth inning to finish the day with a 1-3 performance that in-cluded one run batted in.

“Brian made a couple of nice backhanded plays in that game,” Boyer said. “He’s a competitor and just plays hard.”

Oakville then lost a heartbreaking 13-11 decision to Benton, Ark.

“It was one of those games where we just were not as sharp as we were in the other game (against Russellville, Ark.),” Boyer said. “It seems that everything was stacked against us from the get go.”

Starting pitcher Tim Kappel gave up six runs on nine hits in five innings pitched. The Oakville hurler also walked one and struck out three batters.

“Tim really gutted it out for five innings,” Boyer said. “I thought that the way he pitched, he deserved a better fate.”

Kappel was relieved by Joel Claeys, who gave up four earned runs on two hits along with one walk.

Claeys was relieved by Adam Boyer who completed one inning on the mound in which he gave up a one-run homer. Boyer also struck two batters out in his one-inning appearance.

Oakville’s Jake Morgan came in to complete the seventh inning of play and yielded two runs on two hits with two walks and one strikeout.

“We missed some opportunities in the game to win it,” Boyer said. “We just didn’t do the little things in order to win.”

Adam Boyer also had a solid afternoon at the plate with a 3-4 performance that in-cluded four runs batted in.

“He (Boyer) may not hit the cover off the ball, but he put the bat on the ball,” Boyer said. “He did have a good day at the plate and I’ve got to give him that.”

Oakville finished with another tough loss in a 6-5 decision to Searcy, Ark.

“Searcy was probably the best team we played,” Boyer said. “We were up on the 5-1 and just couldn’t put them away.”

Starting pitcher Brian Randolph gave up six runs on eight hits in six innings pitched.

Randolph also walked three and struck-out eight in the loss.

“Brian pitched that game even though his arm was sore,” Boyer said. “He came down Thursday and then came back home on Friday for the soccer all-star game.

“Brian then drove back down on Friday night and pitched on Saturday afternoon,” the coach added.

Oakville catcher Clayton Camp had a solid day at the plate with a 1-3 performance that included a home run.

“Clayton’s the type of kid that gives you 110 percent when he’s out there,” Boyer said. “He actually swung the bat well all weekend.”

Up next for Oakville is a game at 8 to-night — June 23— against Anheuser-Busch at Heine Meine field.

“This is a friendly game with some competitiveness,” Boyer said. “It’s kind of like a bragging rights game between the city kids and the county kids.”