Ranked number one in the state wire-to-wire, the Silo Rebels finished it off in grand style Saturday night at Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City with a 10-2 triumph over long-time rival Dale for their 21st state baseball title since 2002.
The Rebels started the season on a 28-game winning streak but slowed a bit offensively while leadoff hitter Paxton Scoggin was gone with Team USA, dropping two of their final three regular season contests.
Silo’s offensive onslaught was back in a massive way as Scoggin returned to the top of the order as the table setter and the rest of the Rebel bats picked it right back up by outscoring three state tournament foes by a combined total of 40-5.
The Rebel pitching staff also utilized its depth with six different hurlers contributing over 18 innings in three state tournament contests in which they allowed 13 hits, three earned runs and struck out 25 batters. Starting ace Aiden McCarty twirled a complete game three-hitter in the finale while bullpen closer Nolan Northcott was never needed.
“It’s just an awesome feeling and never gets old,” head coach Eddie Jeffcoat stated. “Aiden was a little shaky to start with and never really had his best stuff all day but the last three innings he kicked it into gear. We played really well the first two days and had two of our best arms (McCarty and Northcott) fresh and ready to go and Nolan didn’t even have to throw a pitch.
“You have to hit the ball and play really well to accomplish that and we did just that. Getting Paxton back at the top kind of relaxed everyone. Jacob Wright had one of the best state tournaments as a hitter that I have ever gotten from a player. He’s had a great fall and really stepped up all season in a key spot in the order.”
The Rebels opened the tournament with a 12-2 win over Bryan County foe Calera and took an inning to get the bats going but once they did the offense sizzled.
Silo plated four runs in the second frame spurred by hits from Northcott, Ty Hatley and Wright and tacked on another run in the third after Northcott and Hatley doubles.
Wright got back involved in the fourth stanza, blasting a three-run homer and the Rebels wrapped it up in the sixth with RBI hits from Wright, Cannon Atwood and Northcott.
Junior Warner Bradley picked up the pitching win, firing three shutout frames in which he was clocked at 91 miles per hour. He allowed just one hit and recorded strikeouts on eight of his nine outs. Wright and Atwood combined from three frames of relief, yielding two runs on three hits and fanned five more.
Wright finished with three hits and drove in seven to pace the offense. Northcott also tallied three hits while two came from Hatley. Atwood, Peyton Scoggin and Brycen Salsbury added one hit apiece.
Silo turned on the jets in an 18-1 semifinal triumph over Preston, scoring once in the first inning, three times in the second, four in the third and a blistering 10 runs in the fourth frame.
Paxton Scoggin, Wright, Northcott and Salsbury each finished with a pair of hits in the 13-hit Silo charge as Northcott drove in four. Mc-Carty and Doc Nuffer also tossed in doubles with Mc-Carty knocking in three runs and Nuffer two.
That was more than enough support for Blane Beauchamp, who allowed one unearned run on five hits over four strong innings on the mound. He struck out seven.
The Rebels raced to a 2-0 first inning edge in the title tilt as Paxton Scoggin stole second following a leadoff walk and came across on Wright’s double to left. Atwood singled and Hatley drove in the second run on a sacrifice fly.
Dale got one run back in the bottom of the first before Silo erupted for five in the second frame to take control. Wright singled to knock in two and Northcott blasted a three-run homer two batters later.
Silo notched three more insurance runs in the sixth just for good measure, fueled by two-out RBI hits from Hatley and McCarty, who struck out five on the mound with just one earned run in the pitching triumph.
Paxton Scoggin posted two hits, including a triple, and scored three times while Wright also tallied two hits and three RBI.
Atwood, Northcott, Hatley, McCarty, Bradley and Salsbury ended with one hit apiece.
“These are great boys and it’s a great community with tremendous support,” Jeffcoat said after his second title with the Rebels. “That’s just what makes Silo a special place.”
