BASEBALL: Verdigris captures regional title, marches into area tournament

With the momentum swinging like a pendulum, Conner Stump stepped into the batter’s box and flipped the script.

His clutch two-run single in the fourth inning broke a tie and sparked a five-run surge that gave Verdigris complete control of Saturday’s Class 4A Regional 12 championship, and ultimately, a ticket to the area tournament.

The Cardinals (25-8) poured on the offense and played clean defense to rout Skiatook 12-4 at home, clinching the regional crown and taking the next step toward a potential state tournament berth.

Verdigris will now compete in this week’s area tournament with a chance to punch its ticket to the 4A State Championships.

Saturday’s title win was a total team effort, featuring 16 hits, six stolen bases and zero errors in the field. Ethan Hushbeck and Grant Hastings led the attack with three hits each, while Hastings, Stump, Mac West and Heath Hutichison each drove in a pair of runs.

The game began as a back-and-forth battle.

The Bulldogs (22-14) struck first in the second inning on a bases-loaded walk by Brady Canady, but the Cardinals responded immediately in the bottom half with three runs, fueled by RBI from Hastings, Barrett Marlow and Hushbeck.

Skiatook reclaimed the lead in the fourth, pushing across three runs via a hit-by-pitch and back-to-back walks. That brief 4-3 edge was erased just minutes later when West drove in Ian Lane with a game-tying single, then Stump delivered his pivotal hit.

Hutichison followed with an RBI single to cap a four-run inning, putting Verdigris ahead 7-4.

The Cardinals slammed the door in the fifth.

West crushed a triple to right, scoring Hushbeck, and Landon Wine added an RBI single before Hastings and Hutichison each plated another run. A passed ball scored Hastings to make it 12-4, providing the final margin.

West finished 2-for-5 with a triple and two RBIs, while Wine collected two hits, three stolen bases and two runs scored. Hushbeck doubled and walked twice in addition to his three-hit outing, reaching base in all five plate appearances.

On the mound, Hushbeck started and battled through three and two-thirds innings, striking out four despite walking six. Wine took over in relief and was nearly untouchable, tossing three and one-third shutout innings with four strikeouts and just one hit allowed.

Defensively, Verdigris played flawless baseball, turning a key double play in the seventh to quash any chance of a Bulldogs rally.