Sequoyah baseball put together two vastly different — but equally impressive — performances to claim the Nowata Ironmen Classic championship over the weekend.
The Eagles throttled Copan 14-0 in Friday’s semifinal behind a 10-run first inning, then stormed back Saturday with a dramatic 6-5 walk-off win over Oklahoma Union in the title game, capped by Ryder Smalley’s game-winning single.
SEQUOYAH 6, OKLAHOMA UNION 5
With two runners on and the game hanging in the balance, Smalley delivered the biggest swing of Sequoyah's season.
A walk-off single to left scored Jayse Miller and secured a 6-5 comeback victory Saturday as Sequoyah claimed the Nowata Ironmen Classic championship in dramatic fashion, rallying past Oklahoma Union in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Down 5-4 entering their final at-bat, the Eagles tied the game when Dylan Burks dashed home on a passed ball. Then, with one out and the winning run at second, Smalley lofted a fly ball that dropped into left field, igniting a celebration as Miller crossed the plate.
Sequoyah built a 3-0 lead in the first inning on back-to-back bases-loaded walks to Smalley and Clayton Miller, followed by a throwing error that allowed Braxton Watkins to score.
Derick Cole added to the lead in the third with an RBI infield single that made it 4-1.
The Cougars stormed back in the seventh with a four-run rally. Tanner Dickson and Baylor Murray each singled home a run, a throwing error allowed the tying run to score and a wild pitch gave Oklahoma Union a 5-4 lead.
But Sequoyah responded like champions. Burks scored the tying run before Smalley’s clutch hit sent the Eagles home with hardware.
Smalley earned the win on the mound while also leading the team with two RBIs. He went 1-for-3 and struck out seven in his start before Chase Meeks closed it out.
Sequoyah collected eight hits from eight different batters, including Cole, Burks and Watkins.
The victory capped a dominant tournament for Sequoyah, which went 3-0 in the event to improve to 12-3 on the season.
SEQUOYAH 14, COPAN 0
A relentless offensive surge in the opening frame sent a clear message — Sequoyah wasn’t waiting around in the semifinals.
The Eagles scored 10 runs before Copan ever came to bat, highlighted by a pair of two-run doubles from Watkins and Smalley that buried the Bulldogs early, as Sequoyah stormed into the Nowata Ironmen Classic championship game with a 14-0 win Friday.
It all started when Ryker Peters’ bunt single — and a throwing error on the play — brought Lucas Howard home for the first run. Watkins then cleared the center field gap for two more, and Smalley followed with a rocket to right to make it 5-0.
Errors and aggressive baserunning added to the onslaught, including a wild pitch that plated Miller and a strikeout that allowed Wittaker Callery to score. Burks and Cade Ogden capped the inning with back-to-back RBI singles, giving the Eagles a double-digit lead before an out was recorded in the second.
Miller was sharp on the mound, spinning four scoreless innings with five strikeouts while allowing just two hits. The Yellowjackets' losing pitcher gave up 11 runs (seven earned) in three innings of work.
Sequoyah tacked on four more runs in the fourth — including a daring steal of home by Burks and a two-run double from Cole — to enforce the run rule.
Burks and Ogden led the Eagles at the plate with two hits each, while Watkins, Smalley and Cole all drove in a pair. Sequoyah totaled 10 hits and swiped five bases, including two by Burks.
