Buffs blow past Shawnee to open 5A Shootout

Apr. 18—The Buffaloes charged out of the gate, and they never looked back.

McAlester faced off against Shawnee Thursday in the opening day of the 5A Shootout at Mike Deak Field, where the Buffs blasted out to an 20-6 win over the Wolves.

Shawnee opened up the game with a score, using a sacrifice fly to take an early 1-0 lead. But the Buffs answered in the bottom frame, using an RBI single from Brayden Phillips to tie up the game heading into the second inning.

In the top of the inning, the Buffs defense behind pitcher Jaxon Lauerman dispatched the side and put the Buffs back to the bats.

And that's when McAlester blew the game wide open.

Spencer Stinchcomb led off with a frozen rope to center field for a triple, putting the Buffs in scoring position. He'd be quickly plated courtesy of a ball put into play by Lauerman scored Stinchcomb and gave McAlester the lead.

Jordan Clark later followed with an RBI single, and Ayden Shumway next put a ball into play on a line drive that got through the glove of the second baseman and scored another. Caden Lesnau took his turn at the bat, and drilled a ball to right field to score.

The Buffs loaded up the bases for Phillips, as he was walked to add in a run. Stinchcomb came back up to the plate and drilled an RBI single, and Ethan Watkins followed with a sacrifice fly to score another.

Gunner Hodgell next stepped up and scorched a ball into left field, clearing the loaded bags in a three-run double to put McAlester up 11-1 after two innings.

Shawnee added another run in the top of the third, but the Buffs answered in the bottom frame — using RBI knocks from Lesnau, Phillips, and Lauerman and a ball put into play by Stinchcomb on the way to a 16-2 lead.

The Wolves weren't done fighting, scoring four runs to trim the McAlester lead down to 10 heading into the bottom of the fourth.

The Buffs loaded up the bases for Jackson Morgan, with a ball hit down the third base line earning McAlester a run. Logan Seese next chopped one into play, resulting in another score for the Buffs. Watkins then added another ground ball for a run, followed by back-to-back walks to score Seese and give McAlester the 14-run lead and sealing the win.

Hodgell led the way at the plate for the Buffs with four RBIs on the night, followed by Phillips with three, and Lesnau and Stinchcomb with two RBIs each. Lauerman got the win on the mound, striking out four in the win.

Next up for the Buffs, they'll face Carl Albert and Collinsville in the next two days of the 5A Shootout at Mike Deak Field.

Here are the results and upcoming schedule for the McAlester 5A Shootout:

THURSDAY

Collinsville 7, Noble 6

Noble 4, Sapulpa 1

Sapulpa 10, Midwest City 0

Coweta 5, Shawnee 1

McAlester 20, Shawnee 6

FRIDAY

Shawnee vs. Claremore, 10 a.m.

Noble vs. Claremore, 12:15 p.m.

Collinsville vs. Midwest City, 2:30 p.m.

Sapulpa vs. Carl Albert, 4:45 p.m.

McAlester vs. Carl Albert, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY

Midwest City vs. Claremore, 10 a.m.

Carl Albert vs. Coweta, 12:15 p.m.

McAlester vs. Collinsville, 2:30 p.m.