BASEBALL: Sequoyah splits with Vinita, Stigler in 4A Regional 10

Apr. 24—In a rollercoaster of success and disappointment, Sequoyah soared to victory before facing a formidable adversary in the Class 4A Regional 10 tournament on Wednesday.

The Eagles kicked off the day with a 13-5 victory over Vinita, but their momentum was halted when they faced regional host Stigler and suffered a tough 12-1 defeat. Despite this setback, Sequoyah remains in the tournament, moving to the losers bracket.

The Eagles will have a chance at redemption as they prepare to face Vinita once again at 4 p.m. Thursday. If they emerge victorious, they will earn a rematch against the Panthers at 6:30 p.m. later that evening.

SEQUOYAH 13, VINITA 5

Sequoyah's bottom of the lineup proved to be the driving force behind their victory.

Ryder Smalley, Jaxon Thompson and Derek Cole showcased their prowess at the plate, combining for six of the team's 11 hits and scoring two runs while driving in five.

The Hornets struck first in the opening inning when Nick Martins singled, bringing in a run. However, the Eagles quickly responded in the top of the second when Thompson's single brought the game to a tie.

The momentum shifted in Sequoyah's favor in the top of the third when Jagger Dunfee blasted a home run to center field, giving the Eagles a 3-1 lead.

In the top of the fifth inning, Sequoyah exploded with a powerful offensive display, scoring six runs on four hits. Cade Ogden's double, Dunfee's double, Cole's single, Thompson's single, Smalley's walk and Ogden's walk all contributed to the team's commanding lead.

On the pitching front, Smalley took the mound for the Eagles, allowing five hits and two runs over 4.2 innings while striking out three and walking one. Nick Martins started as the pitcher for Vinita, surrendering nine hits and 10 runs over four innings, striking out eight and walking one.

Dawson Smith provided solid relief for Sequoyah, pitching two scoreless innings with two strikeouts and one walk.

The Eagles finished with a total of 11 hits in the game. Cole, the team's seventh hitter, stood out with three hits in four at-bats. Ogden and Dunfee delivered a powerful one-two punch, each driving in three runs. Thompson also contributed with two hits.

The Hornets managed to accumulate 10 hits, with Logan Anderson delivering three hits in four at-bats. Gunnar Huffman also collected two hits.

STIGLER 12, SEQUOYAH 1

Stigler took an early lead in the second inning when Caleb Eakle's single drove in a run, and the game took a turn for the worse for Sequoyah in the third inning.

The Panthers piled on six runs with six hits, with an Ace Engle single — along with Jacob Murrell's hit-by-pitch, a Kaiden McCarter double and a single from Eakle — contributing to Stigler's offensive onslaught.

The momentum continued for the Panthers in the fifth inning when Jayden Gould's powerful homer to left field brought in two more runs.

Ogden took the mound for the Eagles but struggled to contain Stigler's offense, allowing six hits and seven runs in just 2.1 innings. He managed two strikeouts but issued one walk.

Gould started as the pitcher for the Panthers, surrendering only two hits and one run over six innings while striking out seven batters and walking two.

Dylan Burks emerged as the standout player for Sequoyah, driving in one run and going 1-for-2 at the plate. Burks was supported by Cole, who also contributed a hit to the team's efforts.

Stigler, however, finished with a total of 13 hits. Kaiden McCarter stood out with four runs batted in, going 3-for-4 in his at-bats. Gould, Jace Bibee and Eakle also made significant contributions with multiple hits.

Meanwhile, McCarter and Engle showcased their speed on the basepaths, stealing multiple bases. That aggressive baserunning resulted in a total of five stolen bases.