MacArthur decks Cache, reaches Bowman finals

MacArthur produced a pair of 3-run innings against Cache and once the Highlanders had taken control they made some good defensive plays in brisk windy conditions to take a 12-7 victory to advance to Saturday’s title game at the 49th Bo Bowman Baseball Tournament at Lawton High.

The Highlanders will meet Altus Saturday at 3 p.m. for the title, which fans should be aware of the different original time for the title game to allow Mac players to attend their senior prom. Altus reached the title game with a 10-0 victory over Lawton High.

The third-place game will feature Lawton High and Cache at 5:30 p.m.

In other action Friday, Eisenhower lost a 9-7 decision to Riverside and Comanche edged Big Pasture in another consolation contest. Ike was able to knock off Anadarko, 13-2, Friday to finish seventh.

Anadarko will battle Big Pasture at 10 a.m., with Comanche facing Riverside at 12:30 for the consolation title.

Cache had an early lead, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first thanks to a Luke Montgomery single, a hit batter and then a booming RBI double by Canden Hance and an RBI single from Brody Smith.

Montgomery started another Cache rally in the second by reaching base on an error and then scoring on a Dyshawn Harvey single for a 4-2 Bulldogs’ lead.

But that lead vanished in the top of the third as the Highlanders scored three runs on two walks, two Cache infield errors and an RBI single by Gage McNeil that pushed Mac in front for good, 5-4.

Mac starting pitcher Leland Kowena was able to shut down the Cache bats in bottom of the third and fourth, giving his team time to get the offense going again.

The fourth-inning rally was started by freshman Brayden Cooper who led off with a single, stole second and scored when Kowena’s grounder to short was not handled, leaving runners at the corners. Spencer Thurman got both home with a single before he scored on a Lou Phillips sacrifice fly.

Kowena, who got the pitching win, drove in another run in the top of the fifth and then set the Bulldogs down in order in the bottom of the fifth.

The Highlanders wasted no time, scoring three more runs in the top of the sixth to assume 12-4 command. Thatcher Zeller drove in the first run, then scored himself on another Cache error. Boux DeLong got the third run home with a booming triple down the line in right that got to the fence for a 12-4 lead.

With the time limit at hand, Cache had a final chance to get back in the game against Mac reliever Dirk Couch. Brody Smith led off with a double before Couch walked two to load the bases. Tucker Smith followed with an RBI single before Couch got the second out on a strikeout.

Montgomery hit a ball to center that ended up dropping, bringing home another run. Two more walks kept the game going before Mac coach Rodney DeLong brought Brody Meier to the mound and he was able to get the final out on a ground ball to end the game.