Latta wins pair of 2A Regional games

May 3—SEMINOLE — The sixth-ranked Latta High School baseball team moved into the driver's seat of its Class 2A Regional Tournament with a pair of victories Wednesday at Seminole State College.

The games were scheduled to be held at Panther Park but had to be moved due to the wet weather that soaked the area Tuesday night.

Coach Dillon Atkinson's team opened regional play with a 14-6 win over Oklahoma Union and then shut out No 11 Ketchum 9-0 in a winner's bracket contest.

The Panthers, who improved to 22-9, tried to punch their ticket to next week's Class 2A State Tournament with a regional tournament title game Thursday night. The results of that contest were not available at press time.

Ketchum edged Haskell 2-1 in a regional contest earlier in the day and entered Friday's play at 27-9 on the year.

Oklahoma Union (18-12) stayed alive with a 5-4 win over Haskell.

Latta 9, Ketchum 0

Latta sophomore hurler Gestin Pollard handcuffed the Warriors the entire contest. He struck out 10, pitched around three walks and scattered three hits in the impressive complete-game outing.

The Panthers led just 1-0 before erupting for five runs in the top of the fourth inning. That outburst was highlighted by a three-run homer from Reese Littlefield that stretched the LHS advantage to 6-0. Hunter Price delivered a two-RBI single earlier in the frame.

Latta ended the game with just six total hits, including a 2-for-4 showing by Littlefield, who walked and scored a pair of runs.

Landon Fortner went 1-for-3 with two walks and two RBIs and Price ended up 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored for the Panthers. Holden Lee cracked a double for Latta and Landon Wolfe scored twice.

Rowdy Mullin had two of Ketchum's three hits and JT Trout went 1-for-2 with a double and a walk.

Three KHS pitchers combined for four strikeouts and nine walks.

Latta 14, Oklahoma Union 6

The game was tied at 3-3 after four complete innings before Latta scored five runs in both the fifth and sixth frames to pull away.

The Panthers piled up 10 total hits against the Cougars, led by Hunter Price who went 3-for-4 and scored four runs.

Deakon Smith finished 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and three runs scored and Holden Lee ended up 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.

Reese Littlefield slapped a double, was hit by a pitch and scored two runs for the Panthers.

Littlefield tossed the first four innings for Latta to pick up the mound win. He struck out six, walked one and allowed just one hit and no earned runs in four innings of work.

Jonathan Gray, Jake LaMack and Smith all provided relief help for Latta. LaMack struck out three batters in 1.2 innings and Smith struck out the only batter he faced to end the game.

Oklahoma Union finished with five hits, including doubles from Connor Pierce, Baylor Murray and Jace Buckley. Bodee West walked and scored two runs for the Cougars.

Grant Reeves was the losing pitcher for Oklahoma Union. He struck out one, didn't walk any but hit five Latta batters. The Cougars were charged with five errors in the contest.