CPHS Baseball: Sandites go 3-2 in playoffs, split wins with Jenks to end season

CPHS senior pitcher Hunter Greathouse pitched 10 strikeouts in a 5-0 playoff shutout of Jenks. 

The Charles Page High School varsity baseball team (19-20) lost the first game of their Regional Tournament 7-5 to the host team from Jenks (22-13), but battled their way back through the consolation bracket to avenge themselves with a 5-0 shutout behind the pitching of Cowley County Community College-signed senior Hunter Greathouse (4-6). In the third and final game of the series, they were unable to repeat and fell 11-4 to end the season.

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CPHS 5 Jenks 0

(Hits: CPHS 8, Jenks 5. Errors: Jenks 2, CPHS 0. LOB: CPHS 6, Jenks 5.)

Jenks came out swinging with a double, but the runner was put out on a double-play as Regan LaPlant bunted to Greathouse, who found Cal Watkins at second. Greathouse struck out the next batter to bring his team in to bat.

Josh Taber got things off to a good start with a single, then took second on a sacrifice by Mack Thompson, and third and home on back-to-back errors.

The Sandites had a big inning in the bottom of the third with a leadoff double by Kyler Copeland, joined on base by Taber who was hit by pitch. Tyler Ash ran courtesy for Copeland and scored on a single from Treyce Tolbert, who scored alongside Taber on a double form Greathouse. 

Greathouse struck out the side in the top of the fourth and the Sandites added one more run in the bottom of the sixth as Garrett McCallie scored on another double from Copeland. 

Greathouse pitched his third 10-strikeout game of the year, and gave up five hits and two walks in the shutout performance. 

Jenks 11 CPHS 4

(Hits: Jenks 12, CPHS 8. Errors: CPHS 2, Jenks 1. LOB: Jenks 8, CPHS 7.)

Following their Friday night victory, the Sandites came out Saturday afternoon in good spirits, but were unable to replicate the prior day's success. 

Brock Youngblood (2-6) got the start and the loss on the mound, giving up a two-run homer to Brett Standlee early in the first inning. Princeton-commit Sy Snedeker hit a single, Tanner Lawrence walked, then courtesy runner Darwin Ornelas scored on a single from Ian Corwin. 

Braden Millican (2-0) took over pitching and gave up a single to Geo Blackshaw that scored courtesy runner Torre Alavanja. Corwin stole home for the 5-0 advantage before the Sandites came in to bat. Tolbert and Greathouse both singled, but were left stranded.

The Trojans loaded the bases in the second inning with two singles and a walk. LaPlant scored on a passed ball, but the Sandites salvaged the rest of the inning with a double play as Snedeker flied out to Taber who made a long pass to Copeland at the plate.

Jenks added their next run in the fifth with a single from Brock Nowlin to bring in Alavanja. The Sandites battled back in the bottom of the inning with a double from Tolbert to score McCallie, a single from Greathouse to score Tolbert, and a home run from Cale Savage to cut the deficit to 7-4. 

Those would be their only runs of the game.

The home team added a run in the sixth, then took advantage of two walks and an error in the seventh to make it 11-4. Trojan pitcher Noah Winkle struck out two in the bottom of the inning to secure the victory.

Four Sandite pitchers saw action in the battle. Youngblood gave up five earned runs, four hits, and one walk. Millican gave up one unearned run, three hits, and one walk in an inning on the mound. Riley Rutledge (0-0) spent the majority of the game on the mound, giving up three earned runs, five hits, and five walks with three strikeouts. Ty Steelman (0-1) finished out the game. 

The Sandites finished the season 19-20 overall, 4-10 in their district, and 3-2 in the playoffs.