Sandites place fifth in Broken Arrow Tournament, Pennington homers in 3-1 win over BA

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity softball team (5-3) let their bats fly against Broken Arrow Saturday evening at the Arrowhead Softball Complex. Felicity Horn, Sydney Pennington, and Jacie Taber all hit doubles and Pennington added a home run in a 3-1 victory over the tournament's host team. 

After going 3-2 in pool play, the Lady Sandites found themselves competing against the Lady Tigers for fifth place in the sixteen-team tournament. The Sandites defeated Choctaw, Putnam City North, and Edmond North, but lost to Owasso and Durant. Owasso won the tournament.

Sophomore Jacie Taber (2-1) got the win on the mound, giving up six hits against one strikeout. 

Horn, a freshman, got on base in the first plate appearance of the game with a line drive double into left field, and advanced to third on a single from Pennington, but both were left stranded.

The Lady Tigers stranded one in both the first and second innings and threatened heavily in the bottom of the third. Mary Collins and McKenzie Carney singled and Aleigha Brown reached on an error to load the bases with one out. The Sandites pulled out of the tight spot, however, as Pennington caught a fly ball in foul territory and Kimi Presnell scooped up a groundball from Abby Parks to put the runner out at first.

Pennington got the Sandites on the board in the top of the fourth with a lead-off homer, her first of the season. In the top of the sixth, Sabrina Usher reached on a fielder's choice and scored on a double from Taber. Pennington doubled in the seventh to score Jessica Collins. Mary Collins put Broken Arrow on the board with a lead-off home run in the bottom of the seventh, but the next three batters flied out and Sand Springs secured the win.

The Lady Sandites will return to action Tuesday at home with a double-header against Norman beginning at 5:00 p.m. The Highway 97 Rivalry match-up will be a double-header Thursday at home, also at 5:00 p.m.

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.