Sandites notch two-straight wins at Best of the West Tournament, Greathouse homers
/Nationally-ranked Chaparall deals Sandites 12-2 loss at Best of the West tournament
By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief
The Charles Page High School varsity baseball team (3-4) got off to a rough start in the first round of the Best of the West tournament in Phoenix, Arizona, but rebounded from a 12-2 loss to Chaparall High School (10-1-1) with back-to-back wins.
The Scottsdale, Arizona-based team jumped on the Sandites hard and fast with ten runs in the first two innings Saturday, taking an insurmountable lead and holding on for a 12-2 victory. The Firebirds are ranked 24th in the nation by MaxPreps.
Brock Youngblood (0-2) got the start and the loss, giving up seven hits and seven earned runs in his time on the mound. Jacob Gonzalez hit a 2RBI home run for the Firebirds in the bottom of the first, scoring Gianni Tomasi who singled. Griffin Hampton also singled, but was left stranded after Drew Wayland struck out.
Cowley County Community College-signed senior Hunter Greathouse was first on base for the Sandites with a lead-off double to center field. He took third on a passed ball and tagged up on a fly out to center field to put Sand Springs on the scoreboard.
Chaparral brought the rain in the bottom of the second with eight runs. Kenny Littlefair doubled and scored on a single from Karsten Householder. Householder scored on a triple from Will Fuenning who in turn scored on a fly out by Ian McMillan. Tomasi walked and came in on yet another homer by Gonzalez.
Ty Steelman (0-0) relieved Youngblood on the mound for his pitching debut and walked Blake Paugh. He gave up a single to Hampton and both runners scored on a single from Wayland. Steelman recorded his first strikeout against Littlefair, but Householder singled and Fenning was hit by pitch to load the bases. Steelman walked McMillan to score Wayland, but Tomasi flied out to Braden Askew in left field to strand loaded bases.
Kameron Adcock singled in the third, Treyce Tolbert doubled in the fourth, and Braden Cook walked, but all three were left stranded.
Riley Rutledge (0-0) took over pitching in the bottom of the fourth for his career-debut on the mound.
The Sandites got off to a good start in the fifth inning as Askew singled and Adcock and Mack Thompson drew walks to load the bases. Askew scored on a fielder's choice to cut the lead to 10-2, but Cal Watkins struck out and Greathouse flied out to center field to strand loaded bases.
Chaparral added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to clench the game by run rule.
Hunter Greathouse scores 2 RBI, strikes out 6 in win over Sunnyslope
The Sandites took on Sunnyslope High School (2-10) in the second round of the Best of the West Tournament and handily trumped the Phoenix, Arizona-based team 6-2 behind the versatile arm of Cowley County Community-College signed senior Hunter Greathouse (2-1).
Greathouse got the start and the win on the mound, pitching six strikeouts over five innings against four walks and three hits.
Sunnyslope was first on the scoreboard as Casey Markham scored on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the first. Kyler Copeland tied it up in the top of the third, however, on a single from senior Josh Taber. The Vikings reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the inning as Manny Ramirez singled, advanced to third on a sacrifice by Markham, and stole home with Matt Schrader at the plate.
It was Treyce Tolbert's turn to tie things up in the fourth inning, scoring on a bunt by Greathouse. Mack Thompson gave the Sandites the lead in the fifth inning, singling to score Taber and Cale Savage, who also singled.
Lucas Adcock added another run in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Copeland, then Greathouse singled in the top of the seventh to score Tolbert for the final 6-2 lead.
Thompson (0-0) relieved Greathouse on the mound for the final two innings and recorded a save, giving up only one hit against three strikeouts.
Hunter Greathouse scores five RBI, one home run in win against Liberty
The Sandites picked up their second-straight win against the Liberty Lions (9-4) out of Peoria, Arizona, thanks in part to salty slugging from Cowley County Community College-signed senior Hunter Greathouse.
Greathouse hit the first home run of the season for the Sandites and accompanied it with a triple for two runs and five RBI in the 8-5 victory. Senior pitcher Josh Cordell (1-0) got the start and the win on the mound, while senior Mack Thompson (0-0) pitched the final two innings and recorded his second save of the season.
It was a slow starter, with neither team getting on base till Braden Millican singled in the top of the third. He was put out two plays later, however, advancing to home on a sacrifice bunt by Kameron Adcock.
Liberty took their first crack at getting on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth as Derek Legeza was hit by pitch and Nick Hamilton singled, but Legeza was caught stealing home and Hamilton was left stranded.
Sand Springs finally took the lead in the top of the fifth as Millican reached on a fielder's choice, took second and third on a single passed ball, then scored on a fly out by Cal Watkins.
The Sandites lit it up in the top of the sixth as Greathouse homered to score Thompson and Treyce Tolbert. Braden Askew doubled, Cale Savage singled, and Millican singled to bring in Askew for the 5-0 lead.
The Lions finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth after Legeza walked and Tyler Hajjar doubled. Thompson relieved Cordell on the mound and gave up a line drive 2RBI double to Hamilton.
Greathouse had another big at-bat in the top of the seventh, scoring Tolbert and Riley Rutledge on a triple. He scored two plays later on a sacrifice fly from Savage.
Liberty tried to make a comeback in the final stretch as Trevor Felan, Brady Welch, and Kai Tuita all singled to load the bases. All three advanced on a passed ball, then courtesy runner Dallin Montez scored on a groundball by Legeza. Tuita cut the lead to 8-5 on a groundball from Hajjar, but the game came to a close with a fly ball to Tolbert.
