Mustangs win third straight fall crown

EDMOND—Blaine Bellamy needed just 80 pitches to handcuff No. 1 Calumet and lead Fort Cobb-Broxton to its third straight Class A fall baseball state championship with a 6-1 victory Saturday at Oklahoma Christian University.

“Blaine pitched a really good game,” Mustangs’ coach Dale Bellamy said of his senior pitcher. “He only threw 80 pitches with three hits and the one run.

“He has a really good breaking ball and he throws a nice split-finger change-up. His fastball is about 83 miles an hour but with that change-up he really can keep guys guessing.”

The offense got a boost from the top of the order as Eli Willits and Tanner McAdoo had four walks on the day and Willits swiped four bases to cause havoc for Calumet.

With those two setting the table it was up to the rest of the order to get them home and Saturday it was sophomore Caleb Crowell and senior Lane Coombs who did just that. Crowell had two hits and drove in two runs and Coombs, a sophomore, had two hits and also drove in a pair of runs.

“Defensively we played really well in all three games,” Coach Bellamy said. “We did make one throwing error today but we were still able to get the out on that play.”

Pitching was another bright spot as Isaac Tsonetokoy, a junior lefthander, pitched two strong innings in Friday’s 18-6 win over Stuart in the semifinals and was ready if needed in the title game but with Blaine Bellamy in command, he wasn’t called on in the title game.

In the first round the Mustangs beat Caney, 12-0, and Rhett Bellamy got the pitching win with a good effort.

Coach Bellamy has now led his baseball program to six state titles and three straight in the fall. He has a simple plan; start them young.

“We have 8U and 10U teams playing in the fall and spring and by the time these kids get up here with me at the junior high level they have a good foundation of fundamentals,” he said.

His high school team has plenty of confidence as well.

“These guys just go out there expecting to win,” Coach Bellamy said. “We’ve had some really good players and when these kids get their turn as starters, they are ready.”

Coach Bellamy will have to fill one big void after the spring season as leadoff hitter and shortstop Eli Willits will be graduating early.

“Eli is just an amazing athlete; things just come easy for him,” Coach Bellamy said. “He’s hitting .580 for us and he’s really good with his glove. He could play any position on the field. He is graduating early and I expect he may be drafted next summer.”

Coach Bellamy said he received plenty of support this fall from assistant coaches Jacob Denton and former Mustang Brent Bellamy.