The Class 2A-II Tushka Tigers (29-6) claimed the first spring baseball championship in school history on May 17 with a 3-2 victory over Ketchum in the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association Class 2A-II State Championship at Shawnee High School.
Tushka defeatedWalters 15-0 in five innings in the first round on May 15, defeated Colbert 10-1 in the semi-final round on May 16 and won 3-2 over Ketchum in the state championship game on May 17.
First round vs Walters
Tushka celebrates an Oklahoma Secondary School’s Activities Association Class 2A-II State Championship. Standing row left to right- Assistant Coach Jamie Hastings, Adrian Fiscal, Creek Alford, Jaxson Gregory, Zack Brame, Tristan Gibson, Shooter Boatright, Kason Hull, Walt Kerr, Austin Lewis and Head Coach Landon Carper. Row on a knee left to right - Braylon Hastings, DJ Alberda, Kason Duvall, Hunter White, Cleat Zike, Ryder Hurt, Eli Webb and Jace Hastings. Row sitting on the ground left to right- Waylon George, Heath Menges, Sawyer Cruz, Kollin Coates, Grady Howard, Leighton Haggard and Kale Graham.
Prior to the first pitch, Tushka was awarded the Class 2A-II Spring Baseball Academic State Champions trophy. Tushka had a 3.83 grade point average.
'We always teach academics before athletics every day. If you're not smart you can't be a good baseball player,' Tushka Head Coach Landon Carper said.
After a scoreless first inning, Tushka scored their first run via a passed ball that allowed Waylon George to score. In the third inning, Zack Brame hit a sacrifice fly to score Kason Hull.
Tushka then scored 13 of their 15 runs in the fourth inning and broke the state record in hit by pitches for a single season with 95. Braylon Hastings, Austin Lewis and DJ Alberda were all hit by pitches in the inning.
'The hit by pitch record was a goal that nobody knew we were doing, and we accomplished it tonight. Two weeks ago, we looked it up and we were within striking distance. I think if you look up the word Tushka that tough would be right there next to it,' Carp said.
In the game, Tushka went 11 for 23 at the plate. Walt Kerr led the team in hits with three, Hull and Shooter Boatright each had two hits. Kerr pitched all five innings, he allowed three hits, two base on balls and threw eight strikeouts. Kerr was unable to pitch most of the season due to Tommy John Surgery (Ulnar Collateral Ligament) last fall.
'I felt great out there on the mound. This was my first start back from Tommy John Surgery. I had to get cortisone shots to be able to throw this game,' Kerr said.
Semi-final round vs Colbert Brame started the scoring for Tushka in the first inning with a double that scored Hull. After Colbert tied the game at 1 in the second inning, Tushka responded by scoring 2 (Lewis and Alberda) in the bottom of the second inning.
In the fourth inning, the Tigers tacked on three additional runs to take a 8-1 lead going into the fifth.Lewis scored the final run of the game on a wild pitch in the fifthinning to give Tushka a 10-1 lead.
Gibson threw 5.1 innings and allowed 2 hits, 0 earned runs, 6 base on balls and threw 4 strikeouts. Hunter White relieved Gibson and threw 1.2 innings. He allowed 1 hit, 0 earned runs, 0 base on balls and threw 2 strikeouts. Brame had 3 of the team's 7 hits in the game.
State championship vs Ketchum After a Brame double to start the second inning, pinch runner Creek Alford scored the game's first run on a passed ball. In the top of the fourth inning, Ketchum had a double and triple which led to 2 runs to give Ketchum a 2-1 advantage. However, Tushka Braylon Hastings hit a single which scored Shooter Boatright in the bottom half of the inning. Hull hit a double to score Alberda in the bottom of the fifth inning giving Tushka a 3-2 lead.
In the final inning for Ketchum, they reached base on a walk to start the inning, but White struck out the final two batters to give the Tigers their first state championship.
Boatright pitched 4 innings, allowing 2 hits, 2 earned runs, 2 base on balls and threw 3 strikeouts. White came on in relief in the fifth inning. He threw 3 innings, allowing 3 hits, 0 earned runs, 1 base on balls and 2 strikeouts.
