CPHS Baseball: Sandites win Highway 97 rivalry series with 12-7 playoff victory over Sapulpa

CPHS senior Josh Taber was 3-of-4 at the plate against Sapulpa with a triple, four RBI, and two runs.

The Charles Page High School varsity baseball team (18-19) got an extra sweet win Friday afternoon in Jenks, not only advancing another round in the Regional Tournament, but doing so over their Highway 97 rivals from Sapulpa (14-22) to break the 1-1 series tie the two teams held this season.

CPHS 12 Sapulpa 7

(Hits: CPHS 11, SHS 8. Errors: SHS 3, CPHS 1. LOB: CPHS 9, SHS 6.)

The Sandites took advantage of a few Chieftain mistakes for an early 4-0 lead in the top of the second. Ty Steelman walked, Cal Watkins reached on an error, and Kyler Copeland sacrificed to advance both runners. Josh Taber singled to score Steelman, then Watkins scored on the throw. Mack Thompson was next to walk, and scored with Taber on a double from Treyce Tolbert.

Sapulpa landed a pair of singles in the bottom of the second. Ethan Williams was first on base and quick on his feet, stealing second, taking third on a fly out, and scoring on a grounder by Cody Rossman.

In the top of the fourth Thompson added another run for the Sandites, hitting a single, stealing second, taking third on an error, and scoring on a sacrifice by Cowley County Community College-signed senior Hunter Greathouse. Williams came in once again for the Chieftains, scoring in the bottom of the inning on yet another Rossman RBI.

Sand Springs had yet another explosive inning in the fifth. Riley Rutledge walked and scored on a single from Tyler Ash. Ash scored on a triple from Taber, who scored on a double from Thompson to make it 8-2.

The Chieftains made up a little ground after a pair of walks and a failed fielder's choice loaded the bases with a single out. Hayden Bullinger scored on an error at third base and Alan Shibley scored on a sacrifice fly by Williams.

Sapulpa returned the favor in the next inning, giving up a single to Rutledge and hitting both Steelman and Cale Savage to load the bases. Savage walked in, Rutledge scored on a single sacrifice from Copeland, and Steelman scored on a sacrifice from Taber. Savage added an RBI sacrifice in the top of the seventh to score Tolbert.

Deep in the hole, Sapulpa tried in vain to dig themselves out in the seventh. Wyatt Sellers walked, Bullinger singled, and Gage Williams was hit by pitch to load the bases with a single out. Sellers and Bullinger scored on a double from Coleson Coffey, then Williams scored on the throw to cut it to 12-7, but those would be the last runs they would find. 

Braden Askew (3-2) got his third-straight win on the mound, pitching all seven innings. He gave up six earned runs, eight hits, and four walks against two strikeouts. 

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