Sydney Pennington hits 3 homeruns in double-header victories over Ponca; Sandites win 14th straight

/

By: Virgil Noah, Staff Writer

The runs came early and they came often in the Charles Page High School Varsity Softball team's (17-3, 8-0) district doubleheader against Ponca City (14-10, 2-5). The Lady Sandites won both games handily with a 10-0 five-inning run-rule victory in the first leg, and a 15-3 win in the second match-up which went the full seven innings.

Felicity Horn got scoring underway for the day when she singled and later scored on an error in the first inning of game one.

Ponca City loaded the bases in the second, but Madelyn Blair (6-2) forced Kylie Hopkins into a two-out popup which got the Lady Sandites out of the inning without allowing any runs. Jacie Taber hit an RBI double to left center which scored Cameron Clemons in the second inning.

Oklahoma State University commit Sydney Pennington hit the first of three home runs on the night in the home half of the third inning. Freshman Sabrina Usher hit an RBI double allowing Madelyn Blair to score, and scored a run on an errant throw to push the lead to 5-0.  Sand Springs scored the final five runs in the fourth inning on to put the game away, with Pennington, Usher, Madelyn Blair, and Clemons each adding an RBI to their totals.

Madelyn Blair picked up the win on the mound for the Lady Sandites, pitching five shutout innings, allowing just 6 hits. 

Game two saw Sand Springs getting off to an even quicker start, when Pennington sent a towering fly ball over the center field fence for a three-run-homer. Clemons scored on an error and Kimi Presnell picked up an RBI single in the third inning and lead 5-0 when Ponca City finally got on the board in their half of the third. Camenda Osborn doubled in a run to cut the lead to 5-1 and gave the Lady Cats some life. 

The Lady Sandites substituted Elizabeth "Lyz" Luttrell into the game and she quickly added an RBI single to make the score 6-1, and Taber added an RBI on a sacrifice fly to make the lead 7-1. The Lady Cats added another pair of runs to their score on RBI doubles by Osborn and pitcher Kelci Hasenfratz.

With the score 7-3 the Charles Page offense went back to work and didn't look back scoring the final 8 runs of the contest. Pennington led the way in game two with four RBI, Luttrell added three, Jensen Arnold and Presnell each had two. 

Pennington (5-0) picked up the win on the mound pitching all seven innings, surrendering three runs on seven hits and striking out four batters.

The Lady Sandite offense was hot all night, scoring at least one run in eleven of twelve innings played. The pair of victories pushed the Sand Springs win streak to fourteen games, including a 9-1 triumph over former district No. 1 Yukon. Sand Springs is the only undefeated team remaining in District 6A-3. 

The Lady Sandites will return to action Friday at 1:20 p.m. when they play 3A Perry (10-17) on field #9 at Bentley Park in the Bixby Tournament.

Lady Sandite Softball wins 12-straight, takes #1 spot in district with 9-1 defeat of Yukon

/

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity Softball team (15-3, 6-0) withstood a lot of rain last week, but they didn't get rusty. After having rain-outs against Bixby and Yukon, the girls went eleven days without a game. Some teams might get soggy, but not the Lady Sandites.

This is the second year in a row that Sand Springs and Yukon met while both teams were undefeated in district play. Last year the Millerettes (18-3, 10-1) got the upper hand and spoiled an otherwise spotless season in Sandite district play. This time it was the Sandites who broke Yukon's nine-straight district win-streak. 

Sophomore standout Jacie Taber (7-1) got her sixth-straight win on the mound, giving up only five hits and one run against four strikeouts. Seniors Sydney Pennington and Jessica Collins led the offense. Each scored two runs and two RBI. Collins had three hits on four at-bats and Pennington had two hits on three at-bats, and one home run.

The Sandites took the lead in the top of the first, loading the bases with the first three batters. Freshman Felicity Horn scored on a wild pitch before Yukon pitcher Breley Webb found her groove and struck out Madelyn Blair and Sabrina Usher. Taber grounded out to second and the Millerettes warded off the Sandite tide.

The Sandite defense was quick to put Yukon on notice as Taber struck out Rylee Uhr, Madelyn Blair caught a popup, and Cameron Clemons scooped up a hard grounder at third for the putout at first.

In the second inning there was no stopping the Sandites. Webb struck out Kimi Presnell to start, but then the bats came alive. Clemons doubled, Rachel Blair singled, and Horn hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Clemons. Collins singled to score Blair, and Pennington hit her fourth home run of the season to make it 5-0.

The Millerettes got on the board in the bottom of the second with a home run from Hannah Franklin, but that would be the lone score of the evening for the Yukon team.

In the top of the fourth Clemons reached on an error and scored on a single from Collins, who was in turn brought in on a double from Madelyn Blair. Pennington singled before Blair's at-bat and advanced home on a throw for the 8-1 advantage.

In the top of the seventh Madelyn Blair, Usher, and Taber all singled to load the bases. Presnell hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Blair, but the other runners were left stranded. The home team managed to land a single in the bottom of the inning, but was unable to stage a come-back attempt.

The Lady Sandites still have eight district games left, including a rematch with Yukon, but for now they'll be sailing high on a twelve game winning streak as the only undefeated team remaining in district 6A-3. 

The girls will return to action Thursday afternoon in a home double header against district opponent Ponca City. First game starts at 5:00 p.m.

Bixby comes from behind for 8-3 victory over Sandite Baseball

/ Bixby High School/

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.

 

Sandites come from behind for 8-7 victory over Spartans, McCallie and Mongtomery hit homers

/

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Sandites (15-3) and Spartans (12-3) went head to head for the third time in under a week in a district match up at Sand Springs Tuesday night. The Charles Page High School baseball team trailed for most of the game, frequently tying it up, but didn't take the lead till the final pitch of the game. 

In the Bixby Tournament Friday night the Spartans defeated the Sandites 4-1 but Sand Springs retaliated with a 10-6 victory for the tournament championship Saturday night to end the Spartans' ten-game win streak. 

In Monday night's home game the Sandites gave up a 2-0 lead to the Spartans in the first and had to fight from bottom for the duration of the game. Jake Ward got the start on the mound and hit the first two batters with the pitch to walk them. Tanner Griffin sacrificed to bring home Gavin Staton and Cade Cavalli sacrificed to score Breydon Daniel before the Sandites fielded a third out.

The Sandites returned the favor in the bottom of the inning as Sandite of the Week Rhett Rutledge reached on a fielder's choice and Hunter Greathouse singled to bring him home. Then, Greathouse came home on a passed ball to even the score.

The second inning was a no-hitter for both teams, but Bixby reclaimed their lead in the third as Staton doubled on an error and came home on a Daniel single. Once more the Sandites weren't content to leave an inning in the hole and Rutledge doubled before coming in on a wild pitch. 

In the top of the fourth AJ Parker and Braden Hackler both singled and Staton walked to load the bases. Daniel struck out but Griffin singled to score Parker for the 4-3 lead. Ward struck out Cavalli and Nic Swanson as well. 

Tyler McCallie hit his first home-run of the season in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game back up but once more the Spartans reclaimed the lead as Jeremy Goodwin stole home in the next inning. This time the Sandites would fail to land a hit and remained in the hole going into the sixth.

Daniel lined out to Rutledge at short to start the sixth and Griffin grounded out to Rutledge. Then, Cade Cavalli went to bat and drew a walk. He survived three pickoff attempts before coming in on a double by Swanson, who in turn came in on a single by Matthew Henderson for a 7-4 lead.

The Sandites had their most impressive inning yet in the bottom of the sixth and Trevor Tolbert singled and came in on a Joey Montgomery home run. Mack Thompson singled and took second on a passed ball. Rutledge and Ward were both hit by pitch to load the bases. Thompson came home on a balk with Greathouse at bat to tie things up 7-7 but Greathouse flied out to right field to strand the runners. 

Brock Youngblood relieved Ward on the mound and pitched a no-hitter and it came down to the bottom of the seventh. Taber was walked, Trevor Tolbert flied out, Montgomery singled, McCallie grounded out, and Thompson walked to load the bases with two outs. Treyce Tolbert came to bat and was walked to score Taber for the win.

The Sandites return to action tomorrow evening, once more at Bixby. 

Sandite of the Week: Rhett Rutledge

/

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

This week Sandite Pride recognizes Charles Page High School senior Rhett Rutledge as Sandite of the Week for his outstanding performance at the Bixby Tournament this past weekend. 

Rutledge averaged .267 batting, .467 slugging, with a .368 OBP, and made his season pitching debut with a Championship round victory over the host team. 

The Sandites (12-3) won their fifth straight in the tournament opener 8-5 against Hilldale (6-9). Rutledge landed the first hit of the game with a triple and came in on the next play with a sacrifice fly from Jake Ward for the first run. He was walked on his next plate appearance and scored once more on a Hunter Greathouse double. He reached first on an error in the bottom of the sixth and scored his third run of the game on a Greathouse single. 

Their sixth straight victory was a come-from-behind extra-inning win over Union. Rutledge landed one hit in the top of the fifth and stole second on a passed ball, but was left stranded. The Sandites won that one 7-6 in eight innings. 

He failed to land a hit in the next two games (a 4-1 loss to Bixby and an 8-0 run-rule shut out of Life Prep Academy), but batted .667 in the finale and won the game on the mound. He struck out one in the first and gave up an unearned double. He grounded out on a sacrifice to score Jake Terry for a 4-0 lead in the top of the second. 

He scooped a grounder to put out a batter at first in the bottom of the second and struck out another for a no-hitter. He sacrificed again to score Treyce Tolbert in the top of the third, but gave up a run in the bottom of the inning. 

He pitched a no-hitter in the fifth, striking out one and putting out another at first on a grounder. He hit a leadoff line drive single in the top of the sixth and was batted in by Josh Taber. By the bottom of the sixth the Spartans were pushing hard for a rally and loaded the bases. Rutledge gave up one single, two runs, one earned run, and two walks before being relieved by Brock Youngblood. The Sandites went on to win the game 10-6 for the tournament championship.

Sandites win Bixby Tournament with 10-6 victory over Spartans

/

Story by: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School baseball team (14-3) got a rematch against the Spartans (12-2) Saturday evening at Bixby. The tournament was a five team pool and despite a Friday night loss to the Spartans, the Sandites got to play them in the Championship round as they defeated the other three teams.

The Spartans rode a ten-game win streak after beating Union Saturday afternoon while the Sandites had just rebounded from their 4-1 Friday night loss with an 8-0 run-rule shutout of Life Prep Academy.

Christian Byford got the start on the mound for the Spartans and was replaced before he had pitched even a third of an inning after walking Treyce Tolbert, Hunter Greathouse, and Jake Ward consecutively. David Ryan took over on loaded bases and Greathouse came back to bat, replaced on base by Malachi Walton. The new pitching change seemed to work as Greathouse was struck out for only the second time this season. Josh Taber was up next and scored Treyce Tolbert on a single-by-error, but Ward was put out at second. Trevor Tolbert went to bat and Walton stole home, then Taber stole second and third on passed balls and came home on Tolbert’s single. Tolbert would be left stranded as Joey Montgomery flied out to center, but the Sandites had successfully taken a 3-0 lead.

Rhett Rutledge (1-0) went to the mound for the Sandites in his first time pitching this season. Gavin Staton grounded out to third, Cade Cabbiness struck out swinging. Breydon Daniel doubled on a McCallie error in left field and stole third on a passed ball but was ultimately left stranded as Cade Cavalli flied out to left.

McCallie was up next to bat for the Sandites and flied out to left field, but University of Oklahoma-commit Jake Terry slid into second on a close double and reached third on a Treyce Tolbert single-by-error. Rutledge grounded out to Ryan on a sacrifice scoring Terry and the Sandites took a 4-0 lead. Ward was hit by pitch and Greathouse drew a walk to load the bases, but Taber flied out to left field and the Spartans came in to bat.

The bottom of the second was a no hitter as Nic Swanson grounded out to Rutledge, Jeremy Goodwin flied out to left field, and Zac Tryon struck out swinging. Trevor Tolbert struck out for the first Sandite at-bat, but Montgomery was walked, McCallie singled, and Terry singled to load the bases. Treyce Tolbert singled to bring home Montgomery and McCallie scored on a Rutledge sacrifice. Ward walked to load the bases but all three would be left stranded as Greathouse flied out to short.

Staton and Matthew Henderson both flied out to Taber in right field but Daniel doubled on an error and reached third on a Tanner Griffin single. Cavalli smacked a center field fly and Daniel came home shortly before Griffin was outed at second to end the inning 6-1.

The Spartans were finally beginning to make plays and pitched a no hitter in the top of the fourth as Taber grounded out to first, Trevor Tolbert struck out, and Montgomery flied out to right field. Cavalli doubled to left field and Cole Parker singled but Parker was put out at second on a fielder’s choice.

Ryan pitched another no-hitter inning in the top of the fifth, but the Sandites were equally savvy on defense and Rutledge struck out Staton, Ward caught out Henderson on a popup, and Rutledge scooped a grounder from Daniel and put him out at first.

Rutledge hit a leadoff line drive single in the top of the sixth, followed by Ward who was hit by pitch, and Greathouse who reached on an error to load the bases. Taber came in to clean up and batted in Rutledge and Ward with a single. Trevor Tolbert flied out to left field and Greathouse was put out at home, but Montgomery was hit by pitch and McCallie doubled to score Taber and Montgomery. Terry flied out in foul territory but the Sandites had furthered their lead to 10-1.

Griffin singled to start things off for the Spartans and the Sandites helped him along with a series of errors. Cavalli reached on a McCallie error, Swanson reached on an error by Ward to load the bases, and Griffin scored on an error by Trevor Tolbert. Goodwin was walked and Parker sacrificed to score Cavalli. Tryon walked to load the bases with one out and Staton came to bat. Brock Youngblood (1-0) relieved Rutledge on the mound. Staton hit a grounder to short and was outed in a double play to second and Sand Springs came in to bat the top of the seventh with a 10-3 lead.

Treyce Tolbert grounded out to second but Rutledge doubled to center field and Ward drew a walk. Greathouse flied out in foul territory, Taber walked to load the bases, but Trevor Tolbert struck out and it came down to the bottom of the seventh for the Spartans.

Henderson, Daniel, and Griffin all singled to load the bases with no outs. Cavalli brought in Henderson and Daniel with a double to the center field fence. Swanson drew a walk to reload the bases. Goodwin flied out to right field but scored Griffin to make it 10-6. Parker was next to bat and was put out at first on a double play along with Cavalli at home.

The Sandites dealt the Spartans a triple insult, ending their ten-game win streak, beating them at their own tournament, and paying them back for their previous night's loss. The Spartans will have their chance to even the score this upcoming week, however, as the two teams will meet at Sand Springs Monday night and at Bixby Tuesday night.