A DISRICT FIRST FOR KHS

Next pitch.

Whether at the plate or on the mound, the next pitch is the most important one.

That’s the mindset Kingfisher baseball coach Stan Blundell pours into his team.

It paid off in a big way Monday.

Kingfisher overcame a two-run deficit and survived some late-game errors to beat Tuttle 7-4 at Homier Field.

The victory secured not only a season sweep over the Tigers, but also a District 4A-2 championship, the first such for the program since 4A moved to the district format four years ago.

“This is the first step in the process of the ultimate goal, a state championship,” said senior Cole Crosswhite, who went 3 for 4 at the plate, scored twice and drove in two runs.

However, Crosswhite also bobbled a couple of tosses at second base from shortstop Tate Taylor on would-be double plays when KHS was trying to close out the game in the seventh inning.

The errors led to two unearned runs and saw the Jackets’ lead shrink from five runs to three and helped bring the tying run to the plate.

However, sophomore ace Ian Daugherty battled through the adversity. Despite giving up a season-high eight hits, he struck out Camden Periman and forced a flyout from Riley Cross to end the game.

“It was a little frustrating, but you have to keep a good head and focus on the next pitch,” Daugherty said. “That’s what Coach Blundell always harps on is to win the next pitch.”

Daugherty had surrendered just three runs, two of them earned, all season. However, Tuttle had a hit in every inning except one against him as he threw a season-high 119 pitches.

The Tigers struck for a run in the third after Tristen Truelove followed a single and a double with an RBI sacrifice fly.

They pushed it to 2-0 in the fourth by taking advantage of a hit, a sacrifice and a KHS error.

Meanwhile, Kingfisher’s bats were sleepy.

Crosswhite had the only Kingfisher hit through four innings and the Jackets struck out seven times in that stretch to Bode Brooks.

“My main focus was on trying to keep us close to where we can have an inning where we strike for multiple runs,” Daugherty said.

That finally happened in the fifth.

After a walk, an error and a fielder’s choice, Cross-white laid down a perfect bunt to reach safely and load the bases for Daugherty.

Blundell called a squeeze play, but Daugherty missed his bunt. The ball, however, popped out of the catcher’s glove and Tate Taylor was able to slide safely into home.

Daugherty sent the next pitch to the middle infield, but Truelove mishandled it, allowed Zach Goodwin and Crosswhite to score for a 3-2 KHS lead.

“It feels so much better when you’re out there on the mound with the lead,” Daugherty said.

He got a bigger one in the sixth.

Crosswhite stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and one out.

Blundell called yet another squeeze, but Cross-white had no hopes of getting a bat on the high and outside pitch.

Eventually, Cade Stephenson got caught in a rundown for the inning’s second out.

“I just shook off the last pitch because I know the next pitch is the most important pitch,” Crosswhite said.

He then delivered a two-run single down the right field line for a 5-2 edge.

“I know my team was counting on me,” Cross-white said. “The hard work we’ve put in showed on the field when it mattered. It’s good coaching and good teammates.”

Crosswhite later scored on an error, one of five Tiger miscues in the game. The Jackets got another insurance run for a 7-2 lead.

In terms of a district title, the lead was essentially 12-2. Due to Kingfisher’s earlier 7-1 win at Tuttle, the Tigers needed to beat KHS by at least six runs to claim the district crown.

However, the Jackets wanted to complete a 10-0 mark in district games.

And Tuttle didn’t make it easy.

A single, a walk and an error loaded the bases for the Tigers with no outs.

Truelove delivered a sacrifice fly to make it 7-3 and then the Jackets’ second error of the inning pushed it to 7-4.

“I was a little tired and I know I didn’t have much left because of the pitch count,” Daugherty said. “I know Creighton (Bugg) or Zach (Goodwin) were ready, but I also wanted to get it done.”

He did that, recording the final two outs with one whole pitch to spare due to the pitch count rule.

Daugherty is now 8-0 on the season, including 6-0 in district games. He sports a 0.45 earned run average.

“Ian’s by far our No. 1 and we have so much confidence in him,” Cross-white said. “I don’t think a day goes by that he doesn’t practice baseball.

“He’s our dude.”

Kingfisher was coming off back-to-back losses for the first time all season. After opening the 89er Tournament with a 10-2 win over Woodward, the Jackets dropped decisions of 13-8 to Bethany and 8-3 to Harrah.

But they bounced back in the biggest game of the season against Tuttle.

“It’s what we’ve been working for all year,” Daugherty said. “It’s the first step in what we want to do this year.”

Crosswhite and the rest of the KHS seniors will be honored Thursday on Senior Night when the Jackets host Weatherford at 5 p.m.

The Jackets will take a 27-4 record into the contest.

Notes:

• Crosswhite had three of Kingfisher’s five hits. The others were singles by Stephenson and Clayton Abercrombie.

• Goodwin joined Cross-white in scoring twice. Logan Rutledge, Tate Taylor and Brandon Williams, a courtesy runner for Daugherty, also scored a run.

• With the district title, Kingfisher earned a bye in the bi-district andthe right to host a 4A regional. This is not only the first time KHS has hosted a regional in Blundell’s tenure, but also in his memory. “You might have to ask someone who graduated in the 70s,” he said. “But we haven’t hosted one that I can ever remember.”

• Provided the favorites win out in their bi-districts, Kingfisher will host Heritage Hall, Clinton and Sulphur for its regional. Heritage Hall was second in 4A-4, Clinton third in 4A-1 and Sulphur fourth in 4A-3. Kingfisher will play Sulphur in the first round, or McLoud if it beats Sulphur in their bi-district.

• The regional will begin next Thursday, weather permitting. If days and times are changed, they will be updated on our social media pages.