Stuart advances to semis with win over Navajo

May 2—Cody Cook let one final pitch fly, roaring as the ensuing swing met nothing but air.

Stuart faced off against Navajo Thursday in the opening round of the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association Class B State Tournament in Moore, where the Hornets held on for the 7-6 win to advance to the semifinals.

Navajo put two on the bags in the opening inning, but they'd be left stranded by the Stuart defense. In the bottom side, the Hornet offense went to work, with Dallin Whitaker sending a liner to left to give Stuart the 1-0 lead.

Although Navajo earned a solo home run in the next frame, Stuart stayed unwavering as they went back to work in the bottom of the inning. After loading up the bases, Bartlett Patterson took advantage of a wild pitch to score and put his team back out front. Whitaker again put another ball in play, scoring Cook and extending the lead.

The Hornets once again loaded up the bags with a pair of walks as Trenton Wimberly stepped up to the plate. He hung tough in a 10-pitch at bat to draw a walk, scoring another run to make it a 5-1 Stuart lead after two innings.

Navajo responded in the top of the fourth, scoring a pair of runs. But the Hornets stung right back, with Nolan Lindley using a hard-hit ground ball into left field for an RBI, followed by Wimberly with a line drive to right to score another and extend the lead back out to four.

The visiting team earned another pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning, but any further threat would be quelled as Wyatt Clayton made a diving catch in right field to keep the Stuart lead intact.

It all came down to the top of the seventh, as Navajo hit another home run over left to slim the lead down to one. But Cook slammed the door shut with a pair of strikeouts, sealing the Hornets' ticket to the semis.

Whitaker and Wimberly led the way at the plate, earning a pair of RBIs each. Nolan Stewart and Cook combined their efforts on the mound, striking out eight in the win.

Next up, Stuart will face Ft. Cobb-Broxton Friday at 11 a.m. in Moore.

Here is the complete OSSAA Class B State Spring Baseball Tournament bracket. All game times are subject to change due to weather:

THURSDAY

AT MOORE HIGH SCHOOL

G1: Ft. Cobb-Broxton 18, Granite 4

G2: Stuart 7, Navajo 6

G3: Tupelo vs. Kiowa, 4 p.m.

G4: Roff vs. Calumet, 6:30 p.m.

FRIDAY

AT MOORE HIGH SCHOOL

G5: Ft. Cobb-Broxton vs. Stuart, 11 a.m.

G6: Winner G3 vs. Winner G4, 1:30 p.m.

SATURDAY

AT SHAWNEE HIGH SCHOOL

G7: Winner G5 vs. Winner G6, noon (Winner named State Champion)