Ward hits homerun as Sandites hold off 7th inning rally for 7-6 victory over Moore, third-straight win
/Treyce Tolbert bats in Ty Fain with a sacrifice fly.
By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief
The Charles Page High School varsity baseball team (7-2) started the season hot with four-straight wins before dropping two at the Best of the West tournament in Phoenix last week. A Monday-night victory over the Moore Lions (2-5) puts them back on track for a new streak, however, marking their third-straight win.
Offensively the boys batted excellently with sixteen hits including a Mack Thompson double and a Jake Ward homerun, the first of the season for the Sandites. The team struggled on the field, however, giving up eleven walks, four errors, and three passed balls causing four unearned runs.
Jake Terry is undefeated from the mound this season.
The Lions took an early lead as University of Oklahoma-commit Jake Terry (3-0) walked the first three batters before finally finding his rhythm and striking out two. Andrew Brewer came home on a Joe Balak sacrifice for the first run of the game.
The Sandites tied it back up in the bottom of the first as Josh Taber was walked onto loaded bases, bringing home Treyce Tolbert who was also walked.
In the top of the third the Lions reclaimed the advantage as Josh Detweiler singled to left field, advanced to second as Drew White was hit-by-pitch, and stole third on a passed ball. Casey Cooper hit a sacrifice to Sandite-of-the-Week shortstop Hunter Greathouse who collided with Thompson and allowed Detweiler to take home. Matt Reeves walked soon after, but he and White were stranded as Blake Perry struck out swinging.
That's when Jake Ward stepped up to bat and sent a homerun over the fence to tie things up again. Greathouse and Taber singled that inning but both were stranded. The top of the fourth ended with no runs, no hits, no errors, and one strikeout and Sand Springs came in for their biggest offensive-output of the game.
Joey Montgomery hit a leadoff single to center field and was replaced on base by Ty Fain. Thompson hit a double, Fain came home on a sacrifice fly by Treyce Tolbert, and Thompson scored on a passed ball. It looked like the inning might come to a close as Rhett Rutledge flew out in foul territory and Ward went to the plate for two strikes. The slugger wasn't done yet, however, and singled to keep the game alive. Greathouse singled on an error, Taber batted in Ward on a right field line and Trevor Tolbert was walked to load the bases. Terry was hit-by-pitch to score Greathouse and Reeves was replaced on the mound by Logan Wint who struck Montgomery with the pitch to score Taber for a 7-2 advantage. Thompson flew out to end the inning with three stranded, but the Sandites had all the runs they needed to hold on to the win.
Jake Ward crosses home plate after hitting the first Sandite homerun of the season.
Detweiler doubled on a Ward fielding error to top the fifth, and came home on a Grayson Kuehl double to the left field fence. Ward, who was four-for-four at the plate, singled in the fifth but was put out at second on a fielder's choice as Greathouse grounded to short.
Terry walked two more in the top of the sixth, struck out one, and gave up two singles that were stranded. Taber, who also had a perfect OBP, singled and stole second, but was caught in a pickle between second and third as Gunnar Phillips singled on a fielder's choice. Trevor Tolbert struck out, Montgomery hit a single, but Thompson flew out to first to bring in the top of the seventh where the Lions would try their best to rally.
Josh Cordell (0-1) relieved Terry on the mound and gave up a single to Balak, walked Cooper and Wint, and struck out Reeves and AJ Moore. Balak came home on a passed ball, Keuhl (running for Cooper) was batted in by Conner Chapman who singled on a Greathouse fielding error, and Tom Alvarado (running for Wint) came in on a Brewer single.
The Lions were down by one with two outs and two on base when Detweiler flew out to Taber in right field and the Sandites secured the win. Sand Springs will travel to Moore for a rematch Tuesday night at 6:00.
