Sandite Baseball wins two-straight at Bruin Wood Bat Classic

CPHS senior Hunter Greathouse pitched ten strikeouts in a shutout win over Parkhill Christian Academy. (Photo: Emigh).

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School Varsity Baseball team (7-6) notched their second and third straight wins in the first day of the Bruin Wood Bat Classic Thursday to get back to a winning record for the season. Braden Askew (1-2) got his first win on the mound in a 4-1 morning victory over Rogers, Arkansas (2-4), while Hunter Greathouse (3-2) pitched a 4-0 victory over Parkhill Christian Academy (3-5) later that night. 

The Sandites jumped out to an early lead against Rogers as Treyce Tolbert and Greathouse both reached on errors and Askew singled to score Tolbert. Greathouse came in on a single from Cale Savage, but the team stranded loaded bases as Ty Steelman struck out swinging.

Rogers got on the board in the bottom of the first with a home run from Grayson Lee, but it would be their only run of the game. 

Sand Springs had another hot inning in the fourth with a double from Cal Watkins and a single from Steelman, but Watkins was outed on a fielder's choice and Steelman was left stranded. They found their feet in the fifth, however, as Mack Thompson doubled and scored on a Greathouse single, then Greathouse scored on a hit from Savage.

Tolbert had the biggest hit among the Sandites with a triple in the seventh, but was caught stealing home. Rogers stranded one in the bottom of the seventh and the Sandites secured the win.

Askew pitched all seven innings for the Sandites, giving up only four hits and two walks against five strikeouts.

Greathouse pitched his first shutout of the season against the Pueblo, Colorado private school, going the distance on the mound with ten strikeouts against three walks and two hits. He also recorded a team-high three hits and one RBI in the win.

Two of Greathouse's walks came in the first inning as he was still getting warmed up, but he also struck out three batters in the inning to strand the two runners. 

Both teams stranded players throughout the first four innings, but the Sandites didn't hit paydirt till the top of the fifth. Steelman reached on an error, stole second and third, then outran a fielder's choice to score on a bunt from Kylar Copeland. 

The Sandites put distance on their foes in the top of the seventh as Tolbert singled to score Josh Taber, Greathouse singled to score Thompson, and Tolbert scored on a passed ball.

Greathouse walked one and struck one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Thompson sent a ground ball to Watkins at second, who then passed to Savage at first for a double play to end the game.