Sandite baseball wins fifth-straight with 8-5 victory at Bixby Tournament
/Story and photo by: Scott Emigh, Editor-in- Chief
Brock Youngblood got his first win on the mound for the season in a 8-5 victory over Hilldale (4-7) in the Bixby tournament opener. The Hornets marked the fifth straight win for the Charles Page High School varsity baseball team (9-2).
Youngblood gave up a double to Dawson Hogner in the first inning, but struck out Issac Isham and the next two batters flew out. Treyce Tolbert flew out to center field, but Rhett Rutledge tripled and came in on a sacrifice fly by Jake Ward for an early 1-0 advantage. Bryce Barrett walked Sandite-of-the-Week Hunter Greathouse and Josh Taber, but a fielder's choice put out Taber at second on a Trevor Tolbert groundball.
Hilldale tied things up in the top of the second. Youngblood struck out Cody Walker and Dalton Folsom grounded out to third, but Morgan doubled with a center field fly and his courtesy runner came home on a passed ball.
Neither team landed a hit in their next at bats, but the Sandites broke open the game in the bottom of the third with four hits and five runs. Treyce Tolbert singled to start, Rutledge walked, and Ward singled to load the bases. All three advanced on a wild pitch that scored Tolbert, then Hunter Greathouse doubled to score Rutledge and Ward. Taber struck out and Trevor Tolbert was put out on a left field fly, but Mack Thompson was walked and Greathouse stole third with Joey Montgomery at bat. Montgomery smacked a double to score Greathouse and Thompson, then took third on a passed ball, but was left stranded as Jake Terry got put out at first on a dropped third strike. The explosive inning came to a close with the Sandites leading 6-1.
The Sandites nearly got in trouble of giving up their lead in the fourth as they gave up two singles, one by error, with one out. Youngblood picked off one runner at first, then struck Morgan with the pitch for a walk. Barrett doubled to score Walker, but the offensive came to a close as Kobe Kuykendall struck out swinging and the Sandites held a 6-2 advantage.
Treyce Tolbert walked to start the bottom of the fourth. Ward also walked but was outed on a fielder's choice to single Greathouse, and Taber was hit by pitch to load the bases with two outs. Barrett walked in Treyce as Trevor Tolbert reached base on balls, but Trevor was put out at second on a Thompson grounder.
Neither team scored in the fifth, despite the Sandites landing two on base. Jake Ward caught a fly out in foul territory in the sixth, then put out Walker on a groundball to Rutledge at short. Youngblood struck out his fourth batter of the game and the Sandites came in to score another run.
Rutledge reached on an error, Ward was hit-by-pitch, and Greathouse singled to score Rutledge. Josh Taber sacrificed to advance the runners and Trevor Tolbert walked to load the bases, but all three would be left stranded as Thompson struck out swinging and Montgomery grounded out to short.
The Hornets were nearly handed another comeback attempt in the top of the seventh. After the first two batters were put out, the next three were walked to load the bases. Bailey Puckett doubled to score Kuykendall and Isham, and Hogner advanced home on a throw to make it 8-5. Their hopes were dashed on the next at-bat, however, as Aaron Sanders flew out to Treyce Toblert in centerfield and the Sandites secured their fifth-straight victory.
