Titans take 5A state title

Brown delivers with clutch 2-run pinch hit double in 7-5 win over Bishop Kelley

By Jon Potts
Special To The Beacon

TULSA – The Carl Albert Titans beat the Bishop Kelley Comets 7-5 in the Class 5A baseball state championship game Saturday morning at ONE OK Field.

This is the ninth title in baseball for the Titans with all of them coming since 2007. In addition to that first one, Carl Albert also won gold in 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2021, 2023, and 2024.

“This was a very confident group of kids,” said Carl Albert head coach Ryan Whiteley. “From the time school started they were competing. We had football kids and all of our offseason kids that were getting after it and working hard.”

The game went back and forth but the Titans used a big bottom half of the fifth inning with freshman Camdyn Brown coming up with a huge 2-RBI pinch hit double to break a 5-5 tie.

“That was big time from Cam,” said Whiteley. “Hats off to (assistant) coach (Roland) Baza. He helps me out with the offense. He mentioned Cam’s name. I said ‘Let’s do it’ and he executed.”

Whiteley was proud of Brown for staying ready. Brown had seen more action earlier in the season, but not as much after fellow freshman Joaquin Golden returned from basketball.

“Joaquin came back and stayed hot so it was hard to take him out of the lineup,” said Whiteley. “For Cam to be ready and stay in the moment today was great.”

Carl Albert had a bit of a shaky start, giving up three unearned runs in the top of the third inning. Things settled down though with the relief pitching of Lane Sexton providing a boost.

Sexton scattered three hits, allowed one run, walked four, and struck out four in three innings in picking up the victory.

“Lane did a great job,” said Whiteley. “I don’t know if he’s pitched more than two full innings in a game all year. We planned for that today and told him once we got past the fourth inning that he was our guy.”

Things weren’t looking great when the Comets (32-12) scored twice in the top of the fifth inning and extended their lead to 5-2.

The Titans, however, responded in the bottom half of the frame, sending 10 batters to the dish. Payton Reid got things started when he drew a leadoff walk from the 9-hole.

After a flyout, Jordan Hawkins singled up the middle. Reid and Hawkins advanced a base following a wild pitch. Jacson Webster followed with a 2-RBI single to left field.

Wyatt Cordray was inserted as a pinch runner after Golden was hit by a pitch. Sexton then bounded a single over third base that scored Webster to forge the 5-5 tie.

Heads up baserunning from Sexton and Cordray put them at second and third on Sexton’s hit. Beau Davis was then intentionally walked to fill the bags.

Kelley got a strikeout and then Brown eventually came to a full count. Brown connected with the ball and it sailed into left field and bounced over the fence for a ground rule double to bring home both Cordray and Sexton.

“I was seeing both off speed and fastballs and I got a good swing on a fastball,” said Brown. “It feels amazing to be a part of this group of players and coaches and this program.”

The Comets threatened in the top of the sixth when they had the bases loaded and two outs. Sexton, however, got a flyout to escape the jam.

Kelley got a leadoff walk in the top of the seventh inning, but Sexton countered with consecutive strikeouts. Sexton then induced a fly out to center field to end things and set off the celebration.

“This was a group that fought through some stuff,” said Whiteley. “I think last year after they got knocked out (in the quarterfinals against Pryor) they had it in the back of their minds they were going to make a run. I’m glad they were able to get it done.”

Carl Albert got the first run of the game in the bottom of the second inning. Golden wound up on second base after reaching on a leadoff error, moved up to third on fly out, and then came in following a wild pitch.

Golden reached base safely four times, but without the benefit of a base hit. In addition to being hit by a pitch in the decisive fifth inning, the same happened to him to start the bottom of the fourth.

Golden eventually scored in the fourth and reached safely via a walk in his fourth and final plate appearance in the sixth.

That was all part of a game where both sides had good moments and some shaky ones. In the end though, the Titans were the last ones standing.