Union Baseball trumps Sandites 6-3

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

For the second night in a row, the Charles Page High School baseball team (19-9) was bested by the Union Redskins (14-9), marking their fourth-straight loss. The Sandites sought to use their home field advantage to find payback against Union for a 5-3 loss Monday night in Tulsa, but after giving up the lead in the third inning, they were unable to find another run for the duration of the game.

Jake Ward (4-2) got the loss on the mound, giving up six hits and four walks against three strikeouts. Daniel Smith got the win for the Redskins, striking out five and allowing only three hits.

The first inning saw more runs than the rest of the game combined, with Union drawing first blood on a single by Ryan Farrell that scored Braden Merrill and Hector Carillo. Sand Springs came out on top, however, as Joey Montgomery singled to score Josh Taber and Rhett Rutledge. Hunter Greathouse sacrificed to score Ty Fain for the 3-2 lead.

The second inning was a no-hitter and Union took the lead in the top of the third. Farrell sacrificed to score Merrill and Zack Doak sacrificed to score Carillo for the lead. Sand Springs failed to get on base in the third.

Union failed to get on base in the fourth while Sand Springs stranded one. The fifth was another no-hitter for the Redskins, who walked two but were able to end the inning on a fielder's choice that put out Taber at third. 

The visitors cushioned their lead in the top of the sixth as Daniel Scheid sacrificed to score Justin Comeau. Treyce Tolbert landed a single for the Sandites, but was stranded as Union came in to bat. Merrill iced the cake on his impressive evening with a home run to make it 6-3. 

Sand Springs tried to rally with singles from Jake Terry and Rutledge, but Taber and Terry were outed in a double play and Ward flied out to strand Rutledge and bring the evening to a close.

Sand Springs will return to action Friday night at Broken Arrow (20-9) who they just gave up a 6-4 loss to in the championship round at the Sand Springs/Broken Arrow Wooden Bat Tournament. 

Jake Terry's solid pitching undone by errors, Sandites edged out 5-3 by Union

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity baseball team (19-8) took a third-straight loss Monday night at Union High School as the Redskins (14-9) took advantage of solid pitching from Senior Braden Merrill and the Sandites' third-poorest hitting record this season. 

University of Oklahoma-commit Jake Terry (5-2) got the loss on the mound, despite a statistically solid pitching effort. He gave up five hits and four walks for only two earned runs. Merrill got the win for the Redskins giving up only four hits and one walk. 

The game was a slow starter as neither team landed a base hit till Union's Zach Ponio connected for a single in the bottom of the third. Terry walked two in that inning to load the bases, but a force at home and a line out to Rhett Rutledge saved the inning. Rutledge reached on an error in the top of the fourth to be the first Sandite on base, but Jake Ward, Josh Taber, and Joey Montgomery all flied out to leave him stranded. 

The Redskins finally drew first blood in the bottom of the fourth as Grady Davenport singled and Zack Doak reached on an error. Devin Layton doubled in Davenport and Kyle Simms singled in Doak and Layton for a 3-0 lead. A pair of errors in the top of the fifth allowed the Sandites to put two on base, but neither got the opportunity to score before Union was headed back in to do more damage.

Landen Wood singled, Merrill was hit by pitch, and Davenport reached on an error by Rutledge to score Wood. Ryan Farrell reached on a fielder's choice that outed Davenport at second but allowed Merrill to score for a 5-0 advantage.

Sand Springs finally began to rally in the top of the sixth as Terry and Taber singled and Montgomery doubled to score the both of them. Treyce Tolbert batted in courtesy runner Malachi Walton on a single to make it 5-3, but Tyler McCallie struck out to bring the offense to a close with two left on base.

Terry struck out Layton and Trent Robertson in the bottom of the sixth and Simms grounded out to Trevor Tolbert to give the Sandites one last shot in the top of the seventh. Union sent Robertson to the mound for the save. Trevor Tolbert flied out but Terry reached base on balls and Taber was hit by pitch. Rutledge flied out next but Ward walked to load the bases. Unfortunately for the Sandites, Montgomery struck out swinging to end the rally attempt.

Sand Springs will get their chance for payback Tuesday evening at 6:00 pm at home.

Mid-season Baseball Stats: 3 undefeated pitchers remain, Taber leads in scoring with 23 runs and 15 RBI

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The 2016 Sandite baseball season is well under way and the boys have racked up an impressive 19-7 record and a first place trophy at the Bixby Tournament.

Hunter Greathouse (2-0) has played all 26 games this season and holds a .429 batting average, a .481 slugging average, and a .506 OBP. He's scored 17 runs and 13 RBI and is 5 of 6 stealing. He's hit 26 singles, 6 doubles, 1 triple, and 5 sacrifices. He's pitched 14 innings for a .571 ERA and a 1.143 WHIP. He's faced 61 batters and given up only 7 hits, 10 runs, and 8 earned runs. He's walked 11 and struck out 29 while throwing 60% strikes.

Jake Ward (4-1) has played all 26 games this season and holds a .435 batting average, a .548 slugging average, and a .611 OBP. He's scored 17 runs and 14 RBI and is 4 of 6 stealing. He's hit 21 singles, 5 doubles, 1 home run, and 4 sacrifices. He's pitched 33 innings for a .420 ERA and a 1.560 WHIP. He's faced 151 batters and given up 35 hits, 19 runs, and 14 earned runs. He's walked 20 and struck out 37 while throwing 59% strikes.

Joey Montgomery (1-2) has played all 26 games this season and holds a .406 batting average, a .522 slugging average, and a .418 OBP. He's scored 3 runs and 12 RBI and is 2 of 4 stealing. He's hit 22 singles, 5 doubles, and 1 home run. He's pitched 19 innings for a .948 ERA and a 1.632 WHIP. He's faced 96 batters and given up 23 hits, 22 runs, and 18 earned runs. He's walked 12 and struck out 10 while throwing 55% strikes. 

Rhett Rutledge (1-1) has played all 26 games this season and holds a .342 batting average, a .513 slugging average, and a .500 OBP. He's scored 24 runs and 14 RBI and is 17 of 19 stealing. He's hit 18 singles, 4 doubles, 3 triples, 1 home run, and 7 sacrifices. He's pitched 14 innings for a .214 ERA and a .576 WHIP. He's faced 67 batters and given up 15 hits, 8 runs, and 3 earned runs. He's walked 9 and struck out 14 while throwing 58% strikes and has one save.

Josh Taber has played all 26 games this season and holds a .377 batting average, a .377 slugging average, and a .525 OBP. He's scored 23 runs and 15 RBI and is 19 of 22 stealing. He's hit 23 singles and 5 sacrifices.

University of Oklahoma-commit Jake Terry (5-1) has played in 24 games this season and holds a .238 batting average, a .405 slugging average, and a .396 OBP. He's scored 6 runs and 9 RBI and is 4 of 5 stealing. He's hit 5 singles, 3 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run, and 2 sacrifices. He's pitched 31 innings for a .319 ERA and a 1.787 WHIP. He's faced 148 batters and allowed only 29 hits, 12 runs, and 10 earned runs. He's walked 27 and struck out 38 while throwing 57% strikes.

Treyce Tolbert has played in 26 games this season and holds a .342 batting average, a .395 slugging average, and a .500 OBP. He's scored 23 runs and 17 RBI and is 9 of 11 stealing. He's hit 23 singles, 2 doubles, 1 home run, and 3 sacrifices. 

Southwestern Christian University-signee Trevor Tolbert has played in 24 games this season and holds a .254 batting average, a .339 slugging average, and a .405 OBP. He's scored 8 runs and 14 RBI and is 1 of 3 stealing. He's hit 11 singles, 3  doubles, 1 triple, and 5 sacrifices. 

Ty Fain has played in 21 games this season and holds a .276 batting average, a .310 slugging average, and a .475 OBP. He's scored 7 runs and 7 RBI and is 11 of 12 stealing. He's hit 6 singles, 2 doubles, and 1 sacrifice.

Mack Thompson has played in 20 games this season and holds a .208 batting average, a .292 slugging average, and a .406 OBP. He's scored 11 runs and 1 RBI and is 4 of 6 stealing. He's hit 3 singles and 2 doubles. 

Tyler McCallie has played in 19 games this season and holds a .419 batting average, a .674 slugging average, and a .537 OBP. He's scored 17 runs and 9 RBI and is 9 of 10 stealing. He's hit 12 singles, 4 doubles, 2 home runs, and 1 sacrifice. 

Malachi Walton has played 11 games this season and holds a .167 batting average, a .167 slugging average, and a 286 OBP. He's scored 15 runs and 2 RBI, has stolen 5 bases and has hit 1 single.

Josh Cordell (2-2) has played in nine games this season and has pitched 31 innings for a .391 ERA and 1.566 WHIP. He's faced 141 batters and allowed only 35 hits, 22 runs, and 12 earned runs. He's walked 13 and struck out 25 while throwing 42% strikes.

Brock Youngblood (3-0) has played in eight games this season and holds a .250 batting average, a .250 slugging average, and a .250 OBP. He's scored 1 run and 2 RBI and has hit 1 single. He's pitched 19 innings for a .268 ERA and a 1.072 WHIP. He's faced 76 batters and allowed only 13 hits, 9 runs, and 5 earned runs. He's walked 10 and struck out 10 while throwing 62% strikes. 

Cody Motes has played six games this season and holds a .500 batting average, a .500 slugging average, and a .500 OBP. He's scored 6 runs and 1 RBI. He's stolen 4 bases and hit 1 single.

Kameron Adcock has played in four games this season and holds a .167 batting average, a .167 slugging average, and a .286 OBP with 3 runs and 1 single.

Riley Rutledge has played in three games this season and holds a .333 batting average, a .333 slugging average, and a .600 OBP. He's scored 2 runs and 1 RBI and has hit 1 single.

Conner Dennis (1-0) has played in two games this season and has pitched 7 innings for a .000 ERA and 0.643 WHIP. He's faced 23 batters and allowed only 1 hit and 0 runs. He's walked 2 and struck out 4 while throwing 64% strikes.

Sandites take second at Wooden Bat Tournament

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity baseball team (19-7) made their way to the finals of the Sand Springs/Broken Arrow Wooden Bat Tournament with wins over Sapulpa and Muskogee, and drew first blood against Broken Arrow, but the Tigers (19-8) racked up a 6-1 lead by the bottom of the fourth and held on for the win. 

Josh Cordell (2-2) picked up the loss on the mound, giving up six hits and two walks for six runs and two earned runs. Conner Dennis (1-0) and Brock Youngblood (3-0) each took turns on the mound for one inning each and didn't give up any hits or runs, but were unable to sway the tide of the game in the Sandites' favor. 

Keaton Stamp pitched a no-hitter in the first inning for the Tigers. Brady Bean singled and survived four pickoff attempts before finally being caught stealing by Joey Montgomery to end the inning.

Malachi Walton scored on a Hunter Greathouse sacrifice in the top of the second, but Treyce and Trevor Tolbert both flied out to center field to end the inning with Tyler McCallie stranded on third after a double. 

The bottom of the second is what did the Sandites in. Devon Johnson singled and the bases were loaded as Cordell walked Mack Chambers and Drew Lowe. Kade Goines reached third on an error by McCallie, allowing all three runners to score. Austin Hulet sacrificed to score Goines and the Tigers took a 4-1 lead.

Josh Taber reached on an error in the top of the third but was caught stealing. Bean scored for Broken Arrow in the bottom on a steal of home. The Tigers pitched a no hitter in the top of the fourth, then added to their lead on a Goines sacrifice that scored Chambers. 

Neither team managed a hit in the fifth, through Broken Arrow did strand a walker. Finally, the Sandites began to rally in the top of the sixth with singles from Taber and Rhett Rutledge. Jake Ward was hit by pitch to load the bases and Montgomery scored two on a double. Treyce Tolbert batted in Ward on a fielder's choice that outed Montgomery at third, and McCallie was outed at first on a dropped third strike to end the inning 6-4.

Youngblood pitched a no-hitter in the bottom of the sixth, but Jon Gilton retaliated with a no-hitter in the top of the seventh to secure the victory and the tournament championship. 

Sand Springs will return to action Monday at 6:00 pm at Union (11-9), whom they've already defeated once this season in a close 7-6 thriller at the Bixby Tournament. 

Fantastic performance from Rutledge not enough to hold off Bartlesville upset

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Bartlesville Bruins (5-17) dropped losses to Bixby and Broken Arrow on day one of the Sand Springs/Broken Arrow Wooden Bat Tournament, but pulled out a surprising come-from-behind upset over their hosts in Sand Springs.

The Sandites (19-6) claimed a two-run lead twice in the affair, and twice gave up four-run innings to their challenger. Rhett Rutledge (1-1) got his first loss on the mound this season, giving up four hits, four runs, and four walks, but struck out four and none of the runs were earned. Joey Montgomery (1-2) got the start on the mound and pitched into the fourth inning before being relieved with the game tied 2-2. Trevor Doyle got the win for Bartlesville, who went through four pitchers in the affair.

Montgomery struck out one and pitched a no-hitter in the first and the Sandites took the lead as Rutledge tripled and scored on a balk. Montgomery only gave up one hit in the second and two in the third, but neither scored. Again, it was Rutledge with a run in the bottom in the third, singling and being brought in on a Tyler McCallie walk on loaded bases. 

In the top of the fourth, Bartlesville took their first lead as Zac Boyes and Tate Holman were each hit by pitch. Pierson Lavery sacrificed to bring in Boyes and Holman scored on a single by Derek Hill to tie it up. Montgomery walked one more and Rutledge took over on the mound. Garrett Meidl singled to score Hill and Zach Snow for the 4-2 advantage.

Bartlesville pitched their first no-hitter in the bottom of the fourth and continued to get on base in the top of the fifth with two walks and a single, but failed to score. University of Oklahoma-commit Jake Terry singled, stole second and third, then scored on an error to make it 4-3.

Rutledge had a great inning pitching in the sixth, striking out three and only giving up a single, and the Sandites capitalized on it, reclaiming their lead 6-3. Rutledge doubled to score Ty Fain and Josh Taber, then scored on a passed ball. 

The Bruins won it in the top of the seventh, however, as AJ Archambo walked and Boyes reached first on catcher's interference. Rutledge put out courtesy runner Lukas Rietfors at second on a fielder's choice that allowed Tate Holman to reach first. Doyle reached on a error at short stop to score Archambo. Lavery struck out, but Hill was intentionally walked to load the bases, then Snow walked to score Tate. Meidl singled to score Doyle and Hill advanced to home on a throw before the Sandites finally came in to bat.

Treyce Tolbert and McCallie were both put out, but Trevor Tolbert doubled, advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on an error to make it 8-7. Ty Fain advanced as far as third and it looked like the Sandites would tie it, but Doyle struck out Taber to fend off the rally. 

Muskogee can't get away from Sand Springs, dropping three straight by a combined 43-1

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Muskogee Roughers (2-18) are probably wishing they were in a different district by this point. The Charles Page High School varsity baseball team (18-5) warmed up Monday night at home with a 3-0 shutout of Muskogee, completely annihilated them 32-1 Tuesday night in Muskogee, then finished off the series with an 8-0 shutout Thursday afternoon at the Sand Springs/Broken Arrow Wooden Bat Tournament.

Sophomore Conner Dennis (1-0) made his first trip to the mound this season and made an excellent debut, throwing 67% strikes and giving up just a single hit, one walk, and four strikeouts. Josh Taber led the offense for the Sandites, scoring three runs on four plate appearances.

The lone hit of the night for Muskogee came on the second pitch of the game. Muskogee pitcher Ke'shawn Ballard, who got the loss on the mound, connected for a single into left field, but was ultimately stranded on second.

Taber connected for a lead off single in the bottom of the first and scored on a passed ball along with Rhett Rutledge. Treyce Tolbert sacrificed to score Jake Ward and Malachi Walton scored on an error for a 4-0 lead.

Dennis struck out Corey Landrum in the second, Landrum and Karrington Ashley in the fifth, and Mathis Givens in the sixth. The lone walk was Riley Foster who was hit by pitch in the sixth.

Malachi Walton ran courtesy for Joey Montgomery in the bottom of the third, advanced to third on an error, and scored on a balk. Mack Thompson singled in the fourth, advanced to second on a passed ball, moved to third on a sacrifice by Rhett Rutledge, and scored on a passed ball with Ward at bat. Ward reached on an error to score Taber, who walked. 

Finally, in the bottom of the sixth, Taber walked yet again. He stole second, took third on a passed ball, and scored on a hit by Ward for the game-wining run-rule. This marked the fourth straight win for Sand Springs.