Wildcat rally sinks CA’s district title hopes
Carl Albert’s Mister Randle fields a throw to third base. PHOTO BY JEFF HARRISON
By Jeff Harrison
Midwest City Beacon
Carl Albert was in prime position for the district title.
But a disastrous final half inning spoiled it.
The Titans beat Piedmont the night before and built a 12-7 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning last Tuesday night.
The Wildcats clawed back with seven runs in the bottom of the inning for the 13-12 victory and District 5A-1 championship. Logan Hill delivered the game-winner with an RBI single to left field.
Piedmont finished with a 13-1 record in district play, edging the Titans by one game. Carl Albert went 12-2 in district play with losses to Piedmont and Bishop McGuinness.
It was the second year in a row for the rivals to split. Last year, the Titans won on the road in the first game of the series and led in game two at home. The Wildcats rallied late for the district crown.
On Tuesday night, Carl Albert was in control much of the way.
Brodie Hinson homered in the first inning as they opened a 3-0 lead.
Piedmont answered with three in the bottom of the inning, but the Titans pushed back again in the second. Kash Ferris scored on an error and Tanner Norman doubled in a run. Hutch Russell drove in another runner and Norman scored on a passed ball for a 7-3 advantage.
Ryan Ray added a two-run double in the third, making it a 9-3 score.
Norman and Chase Lashley each drove in a run in the seventh for a 12-7 lead.
Piedmont wiped away the lead in the bottom of the inning. The first five batters reached base. Noah Smith tied the game at 12 with a double to right field. Hill then ended with a walk-off single.
Hinson led the Titans’ by going 3 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs. Samuel Gonzalez, Norman, Russell, and Ray had two hits apiece.
Declan Murphy got the start on the mound and allowed four earned runs on five hits and three walks. Gonzalez and Jackson Fixico pitched in relief.
Carl Albert held off a Piedmont rally the night before in a 9-5 victory on April 24.
The Wildcats rallied to score five runs in the top of the sixth inning and cut the deficit to three. The Titans got an insurance run from Russell and won 9-5.
Lashley homered and Gonzalez, Hinson and Russell each had two hits.
Ferris was the winning pitcher as he allowed five runs on four hits with 13 strikeouts. Fixico threw a hitless inning of relief.
The Titans also made a trip across the border for two games in Kansas. They beat McPherson (Kansas) 16-8 and lost to Blue Valley Southwest 8-3 on Friday.
Carl Albert hosted Shawnee Monday in the final regular season game and will host a regional tournament later this week.
