By Mike Goodson/Sports Correspondent
Winning area games and area baseball titles seem to come easy to Westbrook Christian. Last Tuesday (Apr. 9), the Warriors won their 51st consecutive area game and captured the Class 2A, Area 13 championship at the expense of visiting Sand Rock.
“We started the game a little sluggish, but we did score 11 runs in six innings,” said Westbrook head coach Matt Kennedy. “I just don’t like to lose. I guess that’s the competitor in me. These guys have the same attitude. We do our best to have the team ready to play each game.”
Sand Rock appeared to be heading for a big inning in the top of the first when Austin Chambers slammed a double on the first pitch from Westbrook starter Mikhail Cazenave. Cazenave, however, did not give up another hit until the sixth inning, at which time the game was well out of reach for the Wildcats.
In the bottom of the inning, Jordan McCartney singled to right center with two outs and Jonathon Ford followed with a double, driving in the Warrior’s first run.
Westbrook added five more runs in the bottom of the third.
After McCartney was hit by a pitch and Ford walked, Matthew Reaves followed with an RBI single. Cazenave drove in two more runs with a single.
Kyle Leonard then singled and Tyler Pankey’s base hit drove in two more runs for a 6-0 lead.
Sand Rock finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth, scoring an unearned run without benefit of a hit. Chandler Mackey scored on a fielder’s choice, which was followed by a strikeout to end the Wildcat threat.
Westbrook added a run in the bottom of the fifth when Tyler Pankey singled in his third run of the game following a walk to Cazenave.
The Warriors manufactured four runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth to end the contest with the 10-run rule.
Former player and 2013 Westbrook graduate John Mayfield, who was a five-year varsity and never lost an area game during his Westbrook baseball career, summed the Warriors’ area winning streak.
“Our coaches do a heck of a job. They’re incredible!”