Lawton Eisenhower scores twice in final inning of nightcap to sweep doubleheader against Lawton High
By Glen Brockenbush
LAWTON - After a 24-run first game, the second game of Friday’s doubleheader between Lawton and Lawton Eisenhower contained far fewer runs, but far more drama.
Lawton had chances to get back in both games, but neither went their way.
The first game featured plenty of rare moments, including a 12-run inning and a triple play. Twice in the first game, Eisenhower shortstop Charlie Trachte got on base and scored on the same play thanks to throwing errors.
Eisenhower scored 12 runs in the sixth inning to complete a 21-3 run-rule victory.
Lawton entered the final inning of the nightcap with a one-run lead and plenty of momentum. But mistakes proved costly, as Ike pulled out a 4-3 win.
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Game 1: Eisenhower 21, Lawton High 3
Eisenhower opened the game with a base hit by Andre Amentine, and Ross Booker reached on an error.
Charlie Trachte hit the ball in the infield, but a throwing error allowed Amentine and courtesy runner Roshaud Hurt to score, and another throwing error let Trachte score on a de facto inside-the-park homer.
In the second inning, Amentine got another single, and Ross Booker reached on a fielder’s choice, when the throw to second to try to get Amentine went into the outfield. The speedy center fielder scored to make it 4-0.
The next hitter, Trachte, blasted one into left-center field, scoring Hurt with an RBI double, making the score 5-0. Trachte later scored on a wild pitch.
Lawton’s Max Thomasian and Matthew Johnson scored in the second thanks to wild throws and errors by the Eagles.
In the third inning, Zane Nelson got on base, and Bryce McDonald hit a single into shallow right to send Nelson to third. Auston Wingate put the ball in play and another error scored Nelson.
With the score now 6-3, two runners on and no outs, Lawton appeared to be in position to fully grab momentum. But Thomasian hit a line drive to second baseman Eric Rodriguez, while both runners were in motion and failed to tag up, leading to the rare triple play.
Once again, the top of the Eisenhower lineup did its job, with Amentine getting aboard and Booker moving him on the hit-and-run. Trachte walked, Amentine and Hurt once again scored on passed balls, and the Eagles were ahead, 8-3.
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A.J. ElKouri hit a deep fly ball that was caught, scoring Trachte on the sacrifice fly.
Eisenhower had already put three runs across the plate in the sixth when Amentine hit a single that drove in two more. With the bases loaded, Trachte hit one to center, scoring two. But the throw from the outfield was off-line, allowing Hurt and Trachte to score to make it 19-3.
Trachte finished the game responsible for eight runs. Eisenhower head coach Eric Shows said the sophomore is the proverbial straw that stirs the Eagles’ drink.
“If Charlie’s on and has a good day, we’ll produce,” Shows said. “We played most of the early part of the year with him at lead-off. We’ve moved him in the lineup to give him some run-scoring opportunities, and he’s taken advantage of that.”
Game 2: Eisenhower 4, Lawton 3
Andre Amentine walked to start the game and stole second. Trachte launched one to left field for an RBI double. Jaydin Moore later doubled home Trachte to make it 2-0.
In the bottom of the second, Lawton's Bryce McDonald got aboard, and later scored when Jose Reyes grounded out. From there, though, pitchers Eric Rodriguez of Ike and Lawton's Demarion Epps basically shut things down for the next two innings.
But in the bottom of the fifth, Lawton loaded the bases, and McDonald hit one straight at Rodriguez. It went off the pitchers’ glove, allowed McDonald to get aboard safely, and more importantly, allowed the run to score.
Rodriguez walked Wingate, scoring the go-ahead run for the Wolverines. However, they left runners on and opportunities squandered, but with a 3-2 lead.
Eisenhower got two runners on in the sixth via the Wolverines’ first two errors of the game. But the Wolverines got out of the jam by turning a double play to preserve the lead.
Epps’ performance was the sort of boost he needed, coach Alan Prater said.
“He was in a slump for a while, but that’s going to help his confidence going forward,” Prater said.
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But the Eagles came through in the top of the seventh.
With one out, Hurt was hit by an Epps pitch. Amentine got aboard, but was forced out when Booker hit a grounder to short.
With runners on the corners and two outs, Trachte - the star for the Eagles all night - came to the plate. But before he could even swing, a wild pitch allowed Hurt to score the tying run and got Booker to third.
Trachte hit a grounder to second base, but a booted ball allowed the go-ahead run to score.
Eisenhower attempted to close it out with Jaydin Moore on the mound. Lawton High was threatening, getting two runners on with two outs. But Max Thomasian grounded out to ElKouri, who tagged the runner and ended the game.
While he was proud of his team for winning both games, Shows said his team needs to learn how to handle feel-good wins like the 21-3 blowout better.
“We’re young enough to where things like winning that first game big can alter how we approach the second game. So those are things we’re trying to overcome,” Shows said. “We do a good job of staying in the game and fighting until the end.”
Eisenhower (9-19) plays Jacksboro (Texas) on Saturday before a district series with OKC Santa Fe South on Monday and Tuesday. Lawton (6-20) starts a two-game set with Norman North on Monday.
