Owasso rallies past Sapulpa, now sets sights on district showdown with Broken Arrow

By Mike Moguin 

Owasso photo by Owasso Baseball Twitter page

OWASSO - Owasso overcame some early mistakes and a three-run deficit with a pair of big hits to beat Sapulpa 8-3 Thursday night at Stigall Field.

The Rams (20-11) struggled with their pitching early, giving up two runs in the second inning and another in the fifth, while only having one hit heading into the bottom frame.

Branden Floyd hit the go-ahead game-winning hit with a two-out RBI double, plating teammates Cooper Auschwitz and Brodie Amberson for the runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, rallying from a 3-0 deficit to making it a 4-3 lead.

“I was thinking the guys are in scoring position," Floyd said. "I just got to get this ball in play and thankfully, it got past the left fielder, it went to the wall, and we took the lead.”

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Floyd added he honestly didn’t think he would make this momentum-changing hit once he put it in play.

“Once I hit it, I saw it go right to (the left fielder); I thought he was going to catch it, then I saw him slip and fall and it (the ball) got past him and I was really hyped," Floyd said.

It was his only hit of the game.

“I couldn’t ask for any better hit. I got my guys in a good situation and I got them the lead and that was the only lead I needed (Thursday)," Floyd said.

Auschwitz then blasted a shot high into left field with one out in the bottom of the sixth for a two-run triple, making the score 6-3.

The Rams added two more runs, taking advantage of passed balls.

Relief pitcher Noah Moan got the win on the hill for Owasso. He came into the game in the fourth and played through the sixth inning, finishing with five strikeouts with one earned run allowed on two hits, two walks and one hit batsman.

Brayden Sanford started for the Rams. After a good start and retiring the first two batters in the second inning, he began having trouble, issuing walks to Joe Young and Levi Mathias.

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As the Chieftains' Caiden Widdoes was at bat, a wild pitch allowed Young and Mathias to advance to second and third base, respectively.

With a 2-2 count, Sanford moved and the umpire called a balk. Young was permitted to move from third to home and Sapulpa (22-7) was up 1-0.

Widdoes eventually walked and another wild pitch allowed Mathias to come in to make it 2-0.

The Chieftains made it 3-0 on Malachi Wilson’s RBI single, scoring Kason Ashton in the top of the fifth.

In the no-decision, through three innings, Sanford yielded two runs, both earned. He walked three and struck out one batter. 

In the bottom of the fifth, the Rams, who were getting one-hit at that point, began their rally.

Easton Haley and Jackson Farrell drew one-out walks against Sapulpa starting pitcher Josh Hobbs. Auschwitz then singled in Haley for the first Owasso run.

Hobbs was then relieved by Garrett Mason. Amberson immediately got a base hit to drive in courtesy runner Alex Nirider, for Farrell, and it was a 3-2 game.

Mason forced a strikeout against Cooper Harrell for the second out before Floyd made his impactful hit that forced in two runs, including the eventual game-winner, making it 4-3.

Moan struck out all three batters in order in the sixth to end the side and Owasso was up to bat again.

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Grady Mercer led things off by reaching base on a throwing error. With one out, Haley and Farrell drew walks again.

Then came Auschwitz with his three-bagger that drove in Mercer and Haley. Farrell and Nirider added the last two runs on passed balls.

Owasso outhit Sapulpa, 6-3.

“The boys are hot right now. We’re swinging it really well,” Floyd said. “And hopefully, we can keep it going Monday and Tuesday (against Broken Arrow), get the sweep and host the regional.”

The Rams play at Broken Arrow Monday before hosting the Tigers Tuesday. Both teams have identical 10-2 records in District 6A-3 play and will be battling for that championship when they play those games, for the right to host a regional.