Bixby comes from behind for 8-3 victory over Sandite Baseball
/Story and photo by: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief
The Charles Page High School varsity baseball team (13-4) met with the Bixby Spartans (13-3) for the fourth time in a week and this time their rival got the win, splitting the series 2-2. During the Bixby Tournament pool play the Spartans won 4-1, but the Sandites spoiled things for the hosts with a 10-6 championship victory the next evening. Monday night the Spartans traveled to Sand Springs for a district game that the home team won 8-7, but when the Sandites traveled to Bixby Tuesday the Spartans exploded in the sixth inning for a come-from-behind 8-3 victory.
Junior University of Oklahoma-commit Jake Terry (4-1) got his first loss on the mound of the season, giving up seven hits, eight walks, and six earned runs with two unearned runs and eight strikeouts. Fellow junior University of Oklahoma-commit Cade Cavalli got the win for the Spartans. As their record indicates, both teams are very close in talent with the Spartans leading the series scoring 25 runs to 22.
Both teams landed a single hit in the first inning and both runners were put out in double plays. Sand Springs did the same in the top of the second, but Bixby got in a run as Cavalli walked and came in on a Matthew Henderson single to strike first blood.
The Sandites weren’t content to play from behind, however, and scored two in the top of the third. Tyler McCallie and Mack Thompson were walked and McCallie scored on a fielding error off a Treyce Tolbert single. Sandite of the Week Rhett Rutledge sacrificed a grounder to short to score Thompson for the 2-1 lead.
Bixby stranded two walks in the bottom of the third but got another go at bat after Cavalli struck out the side in order to top the fourth. This time they landed a single by Jeremy Goodwin and Cole Parker was hit by pitch. Pinch runner Levi Harper scored on an error by Joey Montgomery to tie things up, but Terry struck out the next two batters to end the inning.
McCallie led off with a double to left field for the top of the fifth and scored on a Thompson bunt and error by Goodwin at third. Bixby stranded two in the fifth, pitched a no hitter in the top of the sixth, and finally reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the sixth.
Goodwin singled to right field and was replaced by courtesy runner Kyler Herron. Parker reached on error but was caught stealing second. Braden Hackler reached on a fielder’s choice that failed to put out Herron and instead scored him. Gavin Staton singled to score Hackler, Breydon Daniel walked, then Staton scored on a Tanner Griffin single. Cavalli hit another double to score Daniel and the Sandites sent Josh Cordell (0-1) to the mound. Nic Swanson singled to score Griffin and Cavalli but the next two batters were put out. By the time the frenzy was over the Sandites were in an 8-3 hole.
Griffin went to the mound for the Spartans and pitched a no-hitter to secure the win in the top of the seventh.
The Sandites will return to action Friday at 4:00pm in a home game against Highway 97 rival Sapulpa (1-9), whom they already defeated 7-2 in the second game of the season.
