AAA Wildcats Gain Sweep 6/5/2013 By DAVID MILLER News Sports Editor Making the most of the hits they got, the Ponca City Wildcats AAA swept Stillwater in a Tuesday doubleheader at the Po-Hi baseball field. The Wildcats defeated Stillwater 7-5 in the opening game and then came from behind late to claim a 3-2 victory in the second game. Stillwater outhit Ponca City 14-8 in the two games, but came away with only two defeats to show for it. In the first game, the visiting Pioneers emerged on top with a run in the second inning. They expanded their advantage to 4-0 in the third inning and 5-0 in the fifth. But in the bottom of the fifth, the Wildcats made some noise scoring five times to tie. Two more runs in the sixth gave Ponca City a lead for the first time and then Stillwater was unable to score in the seventh to end the game with the Wildcats winning 7-5. Sam Flowers was the starting pitcher for Ponca City. Haden Wyatt relieved in the fourth and because the Wildcats scored all their runs while he was on the hill, was credited with the win. In the big Ponca City fifth, Neal Harmon led off by drawing a base on balls. Devon Wilkins singled and Chase Kurtz was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Harmon scored on a wild pitch and then Wilkins was waved home as the Stillwater hurler was called for a balk. Travis Nichols walked, as did Blake Shepard to again load the bases. Robert Nanni followed with a single to score a run, but Nichols was thrown out at the plate trying to score on the same play. Wyatt walked, Joey Furber singled home a run and an out later the Wildcats’ fifth run scored on as Harmon reached on an error. In the sixth inning, Kurtz led off with a walk and moved to second on Nichol’s sacrifice bunt. Shepard singled and after a fly out to center field, Wyatt singled home a run. The seventh run scored as Wyatt was caught in a rundown between second and first base, but avoided being tagged out until Shepard had had time to score. Joey Furber started on the mound in the second game for the Wildcats and he held Stillwater scoreless until the fourth inning. Meanwhile, the Wildcats scored a run in the second inning to take an early lead. Stillwater’s run in the fourth tied the score and then the Pioneers took a 2-1 lead in the sixth. Ponca City scored a couple of runs in the bottom of the sixth and then held on for a one-run win and to earn a doubleheader sweep. Furber led off the Ponca City second with a double. A sacrifice bunt by Flowers moved the runner to third and that a sacrifice fly to right field by Jeff Calvin gave the Wildcats their first run. Needing at least a run to tie in the bottom of the sixth, Ponca City took advantage of a couple of fielding lapses by the Pioneers to score twice. Flowers led off the inning with a solid single to left centerfield. Calvin then hit a grounder that was botched by the Stillwater defense allowing Flowers to reach third and Calvin to reach second. The tying run came in on a Stillwater balk and then the Stillwater hurried his throw after fielding a grounder hit by Wilkins and overthrew the first baseman. The miscue allowed Calvin to score and Wilkins to reach second. Wilkins was stranded on base, but the two runs proved to be all Ponca City would need to secure the win. Kurtz relieved Furber in the sixth inning and got the win. He got two outs in the seventh before allowing a harmless single. The runner was stranded on base as the final Pioneer batter flew out to right field. The two wins improved the Wildcats AAA team summer record to 3-1. Monday Ponca City AAA split with Southmoore winning the first 9-3 and then dropping the second game 10-2. Austin Emmel and Kyle Mathias teamed up on pitching the opener and allowed Southmoore only three hits. (First Game) PONCA CITY 7, STILLWATER 5 Stillwater 010 310 0 — 5 7 1 Ponca City 000 052 x — 7 6 0 Ponca City— Sam Flowers, Haden Wyatt (4) and Travis Nichols. W: Wyatt. (Second Game) PONCA CITY 3, STILLWATER 2 Stillwater 000 101 0 — 2 7 2 Ponca City 010 002 x — 3 2 0 Ponca City — Joey Furber, Chase Kurtz (6) and Travis Nichols. W: Kurtz. (Monday First Game) PONCA CITY 9, SOUTHMOORE 3 Ponca City 203 400 — 9 11 5 Southmoore 000 210 — 3 3 4 Ponca City — Austin Emmel, Kyle Mathias (4). W: Emmel (Monday Second Game) SOUTHMOORE 10, PONCA CITY 2 Ponca City 100 10 — 2 4 4 Southmoore 207 01 — 10 8 1 Ponca City — Blake Shepard, Robert Nanni (3), Chase Kurtz (5). L: Shepard.