Smith pitches Duncan to 5A-2 title

DUNCAN—Junior Brisco Smith pitched a four-hitter and fanned 12 to lead Duncan to a tense 4-3 victory over Elgin to claim the District 5A-2 title Tuesday at the Demons’ home field.

The victory earned the title for the Demons with a 13-1 district record and a chance to host a Class 5A regional next week. The Owls will also be hosting a 5A regional after finishing the district with a 12-2 mark. Pairings will be announced either Sunday or Monday by the OSSAA.

Monday the Owls got a great pitching effort from Tres Lorah in a 1-0 victory and Smith, son of Duncan coach Randy Smith, was just as sharp Tuesday after giving up two early runs, one in the first and one in the second inning. He also helped his own cause with a single in the bottom of the second and scoring on an Atticus Booth single.

He fanned two in the first, one in the second, three in the third, one in the fourth, two in the fifth, three more in the sixth and another one in the seventh.

In the seventh the Owls had a big chance to regain the lead after the Demons had built a 4-2 cushion with three runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Smith got the first out in the seventh with a fly ball but Cason Meyer hit a sharp ground ball over second for a single.

Smith hit Ritson Meyer and when Brody Morrison put down a perfect bunt for a single the bases were loaded for the Owls. James Vanderpool also was hit by a pitch to bring one run home and that’s when Coach Smith went to the mound to visit with his pitcher and the infield.

Whatever he said put some spark back in Smith and he got a quick strikeout and a fly ball to right to end the game and start the celebration for the Demons.

Elgin did its damage early as R. Meyer got a single and eventually scored on a Lorah sacrifice fly in the top of the first. In the top of the second Nate Gonzalez scored an unearned run as the Duncan defense disappeared for an inning. He reached on a fielding error, took second on a throwing error, stole third and scored on another throwing error.

R. Meyer had limited the Demons to a pair of hits over the first four innings and he got two quick outs to start the fifth. But Duncan’s Eli Ramirez, who has committed to Oklahoma, took a fastball and sent it over the scoreboard in left-center field to make it 2-2.

Preston Giles kept the rally going with a bunt that turned into a double and Chago Barham was given an intentional walk. A balk moved both runners into scoring position and a passed ball brought the go-ahead run home. After that senior Jeffry Cross drilled a single to score a pinch runner with the final run.