Published: June 24, 2009 10:53 am      

Newcastle gets past Tuttle in wood-bat tournament

CHICKASHA – Newcastle edged out Tuttle 2-1 in one of two Sunday semifinals at the Chickasha Wood Bat Tournament, ending a three-win run.

Senior Christian Ellis came on to pitch to the Racers in the sixth with the score knotted at one and an error allowed the winner to score and hand Ellis a loss pitching to just five batters.

Starter Colby Bird and Newcastle’s Kyle Crossley battled through three scoreless innings before the Tigers broke the ice on a Racer error in the top of the fourth.

DH Lane Paul worked a leadoff walk then Ellis singled to left to move him over. Crossley pounced on Eric Cummings’ attempted sacrifice bunt but his throw to third to try for the lead runner sailed and Paul scored easily.

Newcastle got the equalizer in the home fifth on a sacrifice fly to left by Tyler Iago that scored Preston Gaede on the tag-up from third.

The Tigers threatened in the sixth, putting men on first and second with no one out, but Cummings popped up to second and Crossley redeemed himself, grabbing Bird’s popped-up bunt and easily doubling the runner off at first to end the inning.

Ellis took over pitching duties and fanned Cody McCalip for the first out of the sixth but back-to-back singles by Mason Cude and Corey Palmer put runners on the corners. DH Jack Reynolds provided the inning-ending double-play grounder but shortstop Tyler Watson muffed it and Cude scored the go-ahead run.

Cummings made a nice play at first, grabbing Gaede’s hot liner and doubling Reynolds off the end the inning but Newcastle came away with the run.

Crossley made it stand, getting Denton McDaniels on a popup to second and striking out Watson swinging before Tyler Chambler legged out an infield single on a slow roller to short. Crossley left him out there, catching Coy Roles looking at the game-ending third strike.