Spartans end Sandite win streak with 4-1 tournament victory

View fullsize

Story by: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

It come down to the wire for the Charles Page High School baseball team (12-3) as they trailed 4-1 coming in to bat the top of the seventh. Jake Terry and Treyce Tolbert were put out at first. Rhett Rutledge drew a walk and Jake Ward stepped up to bat. The first pitch was a foul, then came two balls and another foul. The slugger grounded out to third on the next pitch and the Bixby Spartans (11-1) had successfully sabotaged the Sandites’ six-game win streak.

Joey Montgomery (0-2) got the loss on the mound for the Sandites, giving up 7 hits, 1 walk, and 2 earned runs.

Treyce Tolbert was first to bat for the Sandites and was outed on a center field fly. Rutledge hit a popup to first, but Ward finally got the Sandites on base with a walk. Sandite of the Week Hunter Greathouse smacked a long line drive to right field for a single, but both runners were stranded as Josh Taber tipped a grounder to first and was put out.

Gavin Staton singled to center for the Spartans and came in on a Trevor Tolbert error as Cade Cabbiness grounded past second for a single. Breydon Daniel had secured the single but got greedy on and went for two and was put out by Rutledge. Cade Cavalli reached first and Cabbiness scored on a Greathouse error, but Nic Swanson grounded out to third to end the inning with a 2-0 Spartan advantage.

Trevor Tolbert drew a walk to start the second. Montgomery hit a pop fly to foul territory, Tyler McCallie flew out to right field, and Tolbert was caught stealing second to bring Bixby in to bat. Cole Henderson lined out to Rutledge at short and Jeremy Goodwin and Cole Parker both flied out to Taber in right field.

Terry led off the third for the Sandites and failed to beat his bunt to first. Treyce Tolbert struck out and Rhett Rutledge flied out to short for another scoreless inning. Montgomery struck out the first batter swinging and Cabbiness grounded out to Rutledge. Daniel singled but was put out at second on a fielder’s choice.

Sand Springs finally started to put men on the bases in the bottom of the third as Ward was walked and Greathouse hit a deep single into center field. Ward was picked off at second, however, and Taber sacrificed to advance Greathouse to second. The pressure was on Trevor Tolbert and he didn’t disappoint, scoring Greathouse on a double. Montgomery was hit by pitch, but the two runners were stranded as McCallie hit a pop fly to right field.

Cavalli singled on a leadoff grounder and Swanson reached on a combination fielder’s choice and error.  Henderson singled with a full count as Greathouse outed Cavalli at third. Goodwin reached on a controversial error call to load the bases and Swanson reached home on a passed ball after Parker flied out to center. Staton flied out next and the Sandites came in trailing 3-1.

Treyce Tolbert and Ward were walked but Terry was outed on a pop foul fly and Greathouse lined out to right field to bring in the bottom of the fifth. Cabbiness walked and Daniel singled to right. Griffin sacrificed to score Cabiness and the Spartans took a 4-1 lead. Cavalli reached on a fielder’s choice and Henderson lined out to center to usher in the sixth.

Taber grounded out to second and Trevor Tolbert hit a pop foul fly. Montgomery doubled but McCallie flied out to center leaving the Sandites just one inning to try and tie things up. Goodwin flied out to McCallie in left field. Paker tripled on a centerfield line but was picked off leaving Staton at bat with a full count and he was promptly struck out. But the seventh was no kinder to the Sandites and the Spartans came away with their ninth-straight win.

The Sandites will next take on Life Prep Academy Saturday at 11:00.