Oklahoma high school baseball: Chickasha, Tuttle, Marlow, Blanchard advance to 4A semis

NOBLE — The Class 4A Oklahoma high school baseball state tournament started Thursday at Noble High School. Here are recaps from each game.

Chickasha 3, Elk City 2

Tie game. Extra innings in the bottom of the eighth. Bases loaded.

That’s the predicament Elk City reliever Cameron Carlisle found himself in Thursday. With the pressure on, Carlisle fired a perfect pitch to Chickasha’s Logan Palesano that popped up high in the infield.

A routine popup that would’ve sent the game to the ninth hit third baseman Jaxon McArthur’s glove and fell out, ending the Elks’ season and propelling the Fightin’ Chicks to a walk-off 3-2 win and a spot in the state semifinals.

“This is big for our community,” Chickasha assistant head coach Travis Owen said. “(Head coach Kevin James) came here last year and the culture has changed. We just worked hard, we kept battling and we did a great job. We just stayed in the game.”

The Fightin’ Chicks earned their revenge in a game where the start time was delayed a few hours due to rain. Elk City kept Chickasha out of the state tournament last season.

Chickasha earned the win despite the Kash Mayfield show rolling into town. Dozens of Major League Baseball scouts took up Noble’s stadium Thursday, something Elk City fans have grown accustomed to this season.

Mayfield, ranked the No. 23 overall pick draft prospect in ESPN’s latest draft rankings released Wednesday, was brilliant as always. Despite allowing two consecutive hits to start the game, Mayfield sat at 93-95 mph and didn’t allow another hit the entire game.

The Oklahoma State signee, who will likely sign with an MLB club and forfeit college, gave up one earned run and fanned 18 Chickasha hitters.

“That guy is a stud pitcher,” Owen said. “He’s big time.”

While not quite as flashy, the Fightin’ Chicks starting pitcher Layton Bryan battled Mayfield tooth and nail. He allowed five hits and two runs across 7 ⅔ innings, striking out eight and walking seven.

Bryan was forced to exit the game due to going over the mandated pitch count. Earlier this season, Bryan struck out 21 batters in a game against Cache, taking home a national player of the week honor.

Chickasha is aiming to keep its momentum going as it will face Blanchard for the right to play in the state championship game. The game will mean a little extra for James, a Blanchard native.

“Our kid, (Bryan), battled his butt off,” Owen said. “He’s been our best all year, he’s a stud. He’s not left-handed and throwing 95 like the other guy was but (he’s tough).”

More: Oklahoma high school baseball: Sand Springs advances to Class 6A semifinals

Tuttle 6, Cushing 0

The Tigers made quick work of Cushing Thursday.

Oklahoma State signee Braylon Brooks started on the mound and dominated, allowing just one hit, walking five and striking out 12. Cowley (Kansas) College commit Easton Green entered in the seventh to finish the shut-out win.

Brooks also led the Tigers in hitting with team-leading two hits and an RBI.

Stetson Ethridge started on the bump for Cushing and struggled, finishing with the loss and allowing five earned runs on seven hits. Ethridge, a junior who has shown promise as a prospect but is uncommitted, struck out six Tigers and walked one.

Cushing, which made the state tournament for the second consecutive season, had won seven of its last eight games and ended its season with a 21-8 record.

Tuttle (34-4) now faces Marlow at 11 a.m. Friday in Noble for a spot in the state championship game on Saturday.

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Marlow 11, Hilldale 2

The second game of the day was all about pitching as well.

Marlow’s Blayd Harris struck out ten Hornets in a 11-2 blowout to advance to the semifinals. Harris got the job done on the mound as well as in the batter’s box, as he finished with a game-high three hits.

Hilldale’s starter Chad Parks, who had been rolling of late, allowed eight hits and seven runs across 3 ⅓ innings. The Hornets’ leadoff hitter Cole Leach, a junior shortstop and pitcher who is committed to Arkansas, finished 2 for 3 at the plate with an RBI and a strikeout.

The top of Marlow’s order couldn’t be stopped as the top three hitters combined for eight of the Outlaws’ 11 runs. Center fielder Jacob Crowson gave Marlow the early lead in the bottom of the first inning and the Outlaws never looked back. Oklahoma State commit Hudson Morgan, a sophomore shortstop, singled and scored three runs.

The game was delayed due to rain.

Hilldale ended its season with a 26-10 record. Meanwhile, Marlow sits at 27-7 and will face Tuttle at 11 a.m. Friday in Noble for a chance to play for the state title.

Blanchard 9, Newcastle 3

After a later start than scheduled, the Blanchard Lions punched their ticket to the state semifinals with a 9-3 win over the Newcastle Racers.

Brayson Carter and Carson Howe combined for six hits and four runs in the win. Starting pitcher Kaden Felan earned the win and struck out 14 batters in 6 2/3 innings.

Newcastle's Ryder Gibson earned the loss, allowing four runs on nine hits. The Racers collected just eight hits, while the Lions finished with 15.

Newcastle finished its season with a 32-9-1 record.

Blanchard is one game away from the state title game and will have its hands full Friday when it takes on Chickasha at 1:30 p.m. on Friday in Noble.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma HS baseball: Chickasha, Tuttle, Marlow, Blanchard advance