Tuttle solves another ace pitcher as Tigers defeat Elk City in Class 4A semifinals

By Buck Ringgold

EDMOND - Unlike last year’s semifinal game between the two teams, Tuttle didn’t have to rally past Elk City in the final inning.

Instead, the Tigers walked a tightrope until getting some late breathing room.

Tuttle used two big innings early to take a 5-1 lead, and then picked up a pair of two-out insurance runs in the sixth as the Tigers defeated the Elks in the Class 4A semifinals for the second straight season, 7-4, Friday afternoon at Edmond Memorial’s field.

“I think that was the biggest ticket, we were so soaked in to our scouting reports and our game plan, and the guys are talented,” Tuttle coach Breck Draper said. “Whenever you take talented guys that follow a plan together, it pays off.”

A day after besting Fort Gibson ace left-hander and Oklahoma State University signee Weston Rouse in the quarterfinals, Tuttle had to deal with another premier southpaw in junior Kash Mayfield, himself an OSU commit.

Mayfield retired the first five batters he faced, though the Tigers hit the ball hard. But with two out in the second, Tuttle (36-4) broke through with a two-run uprising; then added three more runs an inning later.

“Our guys were really soaked in to the approach and we knew (Mayfield) was going to come at us and attack us, and our batting practice has been the most important time of the day, to get ourselves locked in and their minds locked in,” Draper said. “(Friday) I didn’t care when we got our first hit or run, the first inning we barreled three balls up hard.

“Then the next inning, we had some good barrels and if you keep doing those things the right way, those barrels start to turn into hits and we’re allowed to put pressure on with our runners and our speed.”

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The first Tiger to solve Mayfield was freshman Jackson Johnson, who dropped in a two-out single in the first and then immediately stole second base. Easton Green followed with a hit to the right side, bringing in Johnson to tie the score at 1-all.

“We found barrels early in the game, just got some outs, so I knew that we were looking for a fastball,” Johnson said. “I actually got fooled with a curveball the pitch before, so then two strikes, I’m just going to go compete and I’m looking for a fastball. … (Mayfield) threw me a fastball, put a good swing on it and got a hit.”

Green then came around to score on an errant throw after stealing third, allowing the Tigers to break the tie.

Tuttle - which rallied from a 5-2 seventh-inning deficit to edge Elk City in last year's 4A semifinals - extended its lead an inning later, scoring three runs, one coming after an error on a sacrifice bunt from Braylon Brooks. Carsen Moore added an RBI groundout, and then Johnson made it 5-1 by driving in a run on an infield single.

Another freshman, starting pitcher Hunter Watson (a University of Oklahoma commit), was the beneficiary of the Tigers getting to Mayfield early. Watson went four innings and was able to get out of trouble, although Elk City (34-4) did score three runs in the top of the fourth to close Tuttle’s lead to a run, 5-4.

But after the Elks loaded the bases, Watson kept the lead intact with an inning-ending strikeout, one of three on the day.

“What helped me there was my pitch by pitch mindset and even though some stuff goes bad, we’ve still got a lead, we’ve still got a job to do no matter what, and I can’t just go out there and have a pity party for myself on the mound,” Watson said. “We had a job to do and we got it done no matter what happens.”

Tuttle’s bullpen did the rest, as Grayson Barnes and Moore combined for three hitless innings. Moore got out of a two-on, two-out jam in the top of the sixth by getting a comebacker hit right to him.

“Grayson Barnes comes out and he was really sharp. … Carsen comes in and hasn’t pitched a lot for us this year because of elbow problems, but he’s gotten healthy and he’s a guy that we know we trust,” Draper said.

“He pitched in the state semifinals last year and did a great job, and I knew he was going to go out and do a great job there in the end.”

Tuttle got a pair of runs against Mayfield with two outs in the sixth, as Alex Conover scored on a wild pitch and Brooks hit an RBI single.

Johnson put the exclamation point on the win by making a diving catch in left field for the game’s final out.

“It was awesome,” Johnson said. “Seeing it off the bat, I got a pretty good jump and I just went and made a play; I just had fun.”

Johnson also went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Tuttle got eight hits off Mayfield, who also struck out six.

Cole Buie had two of Elk City’s three hits. He drove in the Elks’ first run with an RBI single in the top of the second and then had another RBI hit during the Elks’ three-run fourth.

Tuttle now has another rematch, this time with Blanchard for the 4A championship, set for 5 p.m. Saturday at Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City. The Lions beat the Tigers in last season’s 4A championship game, 6-5, on a walk-off hit.

“It feels pretty good, to go out there and get all these seniors and everybody else on the team another shot to go win a title and playing with all these guys, it’s pretty special,” Watson said.

Blanchard 9, Lone Grove 1

Unlike earlier on Friday, the Lions didn’t have to endure a wild swing of momentum.

They seized control of the 4A semifinals with five runs in the third after spotting Lone Grove an early run. Blanchard then added a run in the fifth and three more in the sixth as the Lions get the chance to repeat as state champs.

Hudsen Perlman, a sophomore, went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Three other Blanchard players went 2-for-4 in Aiden Kilgore, Carson Howe and Jaxon Heard, with Howe hitting two doubles.

Junior pitcher Kaden Felan gave up just one hit in seven complete innings, striking out 10. Lone Grove had advanced to the semifinals by virtue of its quarterfinal win against Cushing.

Earlier on Friday, the Lions outlasted Pryor, 14-13, in eight innings in the resumption of a game that was suspended Thursday evening due to inclement weather.

Blanchard had taken an 11-2 lead entering the top of the seventh, only to give up 11 runs to the Tigers, who went in front, 13-11. But the Lions countered with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, tying the score and sending the game into extra innings.

In the bottom of the eighth, Coric Pierce stole third and then was able to score on an errant throw to get him. Pierce and Felan each had two hits in the win.

State Baseball Roundup

Class 6A

Two teams seeking to break long title droughts square off for the 6A title.

Bixby broke a scoreless tie with two fifth-inning runs and made that stand as Cooper Moore tossed a one-hit shutout as the Spartans defeated defending 6A champion Owasso, 2-0, in Friday’s semifinals.

The Spartans (31-8) will now take on Enid (29-9) at noon Saturday for the 6A title, which takes place at ONEOK Field in Tulsa. Bixby is seeking its first championship since 2008, while the Plainsmen are doing the same for the first time since 1986.

Bixby broke its scoreless tie Friday on an RBI single from Cody Krull. The Spartans added another run on a successful bunt from Moore, who went on to record the one-hit shutout, striking out six.

Enid defeated Yukon in its semifinal, 11-5. The Plainsmen got a two-RBI home run from Jake Kennedy during a three-run fourth which broke a 4-all score; then Garrett Shull hit a three-run homer during a four-run sixth.

Class 5A

Bishop Kelley will take on Midwest City Carl Albert for the 5A title at 4 p.m. Saturday in Jenks.

The Comets advanced to the title game with a 3-1 semifinal win Friday against Grove. Grayson Smith hit a second-inning homer, and was also the winning pitcher, giving up one unearned run on five hits over 6 1/3 innings, striking out seven.

Carl Albert also got a strong pitching performance from Samuel Gonzalez, who threw a three-hit shutout in a 6-0 win against Sapulpa. Gonzalez struck out five and retired 15 straight batters at one point, and he also drove in two runs on offense.

Class 3A

Washington will be going for back-to-back championships as the Warriors take on Cascia Hall at 11 a.m. Saturday, with the 3A title game taking place at Bricktown Ballpark.

The Warriors defeated Salina in Friday’s semifinal round, 3-0, while Cascia Hall edged Spiro, 6-5.

Class 2A

Silo will be seeking to extend its spring state title streak to six straight as the Rebels meet Amber-Pocasset for the 2A title. That game will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Bricktown Ballpark.

The Rebels were tied with Wister at 2-all in the middle innings of Friday’s semifinal before pulling away for a 6-2 win. Amber-Pocasset, meanwhile, made it to the title game after downing Cashion, 5-3.