Fletcher Gold rolls in OK Kids State tourney

SALLISAW — Fletcher Gold Wildcats had little trouble advancing in the OK Kids 10U State Tournament Tuesday, routing Washington Warriors, 13-1, to advance to the second round of the Red Bracket.

Fletcher Gold took complete command of the first-round game by scoring 10 runs in the second inning and needing just four innings to get the victory. That sets up a second-round game today at 6 p.m. against Kingfisher ‘Jackets which blanked Sallisaw Red Sox, 8-0.

“Kingfisher has some guys who can swing the bat including a good leadoff hitter,” Fletcher Gold coach Hayden Herrin said. “They had some guys hit the ball hard and they have a pretty good pitcher. It is going to be a tough game.”

The news wasn’t as good for Fletcher White which was beaten in the first round by the Hobart Hitmen, 5-0. TJ Acker’s White club will try to stay alive in the Blue Bracket when it faces Weleetka Outlaws at 4 p.m. today. The tournament has two eight-team brackets that will have a double elimination format with the winners of each bracket going into a three-game series to crown the champion.

Fletcher Gold, which reached the finals last year before losing, quickly showed why it is one of the favorites in the 16-team field by flexing its offensive might while also getting strong pitching and playing flawlessly in the field.

The take-charge offensive barrage had big hits from a host of players but as is often the case, a great at-bat by Boston Wilson, ignited the inning.

“I tell these kids all the time that you never know what will start a rally,” Gold coach Herrin said. “Boston Wilson leads off the second inning for us and he gets two quick strikes but then did a great job fouling off pitches and working the count. I think he fouled off 8 or 9 pitches and wound up getting a walk. That just seemed to give us a spark and the other guys just kept it going.”

Wilson didn’t stay at first long as leadoff hitter Zeke Herrin drove in the first run of the volley with a triple and later hit a RBI double as the Wildcats batted around.

After Herrin’s triple, Silas Weishaught and Maddox Maahs hit RBI singles, Cael Bricker drove in a run with a ground out and Landon Avilla ripped a single for another run. The Wildcats got another run across on an error and Boston Wilson earned his second walk of the inning, this one with the bases loaded for a RBI.

Herrin drove in another run with a double and that was more than enough offense to give the large group of Fletcher fans a chance to sit back and relax with the game well in control.

Bricker wound up getting the pitching win, allowing one hit, fanning one and walking one in two innings of work. Adan Alcantar worked the final two innings and with the defense playing error-less ball in the field the Wildcats ran their record to 28-1 on the season.

Coach Herrin saw his club pound out 13 hits with Maahs and Z. Herrin each getting a pair of hits. The Wildcats also had a field day on the bases, stealing 13 times as the Warriors had no answer for the aggressive base running by Fletcher Gold. Avila, Clayton Jenkins and Bricker each had multiple steals in the game.

Earlier in Tuesday’s busy schedule, Fletcher White was able to collect just one hit, that a single by Carter Stafford, as Hobart’s pitchers were able to combine for a shutout.

Curtis Wilson started on the mound for Fletcher White and gave up four hits and a pair of runs. The Wildcats played well in the field, not committing an error to make Hobart work for its runs, but the Kiowa county crew ran wild on the bases with 11 steals.

“Hobart had a pitcher who threw some pretty good off-speed pitches,” Herrin said of the Fletcher White loss. “But it was a one-run game into the fourth before Hobart got a couple of runs that extended its lead. TJ’s (White coach Acker) guys played good defense and Curtis did a good job pitching but Hobart had some good hitters.”

The action today will include Excessive Heat Warnings in the Sallisaw area but Coach Herrin said tournament hosts have done a good job trying to keep everyone safe.

“They are sticking to the same time schedule but the tournament director has put big industrial fans in each dugout and that is helping provide a good breeze,” Herrin said. “There is no time limit and if the umpires think the players need a break, they are pulling them off the field to get hydrated. This is a nice complex and they are really doing a good job trying to make sure the kids are safe.”