OKLAHOMA CITY — Western Heights senior Caden Wiebusch struck out 10 batters as the Jets pulled away from Del City, 9-4, Monday (April 14) in a 5A-1 matchup.

“We tried to give it away, but we found a way to have some timely hits, timely walks,” Western Heights coach Stephen Smitherman said. “Made a couple of errors in places that we shouldn’t have, but it’s all a learning process.”

Wiebusch, a Randall commit, scattered seven hits in the complete-game win. Of the four runs he allowed, only two were earned to due to four Jet errors. Wiebusch didn’t walk a batter.

“He went out and pitched a solid game,” Smitherman said. “
I mean, a complete game. What more could you ask from your pitcher?”

Western Heights (10-11, 3-8) built a 5-1 lead after two innings, but Del City (2-19, 0-9) scored single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings. In each inning, Wiebusch limited the damage.

In the third inning, Wiesbusch held the Eagles to a run, despite an error. He got a strikeout and ground out to end the inning, making it 5-2.

A one-out error and a double in the fourth inning led to a Del City run. Wiesbusch got a strikeout and an out on the bases to end the threat at 5-3.

Another Jet error led to a run in the fifth but a groundout ended the rally and the Jets led, 5-4.

In the sixth inning, the Jet offense scored some insurance runs.

Western Heights hitter walked twice, were hit by a pitch once and took advantage of two errors from the Eagles. Junior Akin Aguillard capped off the inning with a two-run single to make it 9-4.

Smitherman credits a change in approach due to the wind for his offense.

“We hit the ball the other way, and that’s where our hits came from,” Smitherman said. “That’s the reason we won the ballgame because we finally started being patient enough and driving the ball the other way.”

Senior Jacob Bohnstedt went 2-for-4 with three runs scored.

“Jacob is having good at-bats,” Smitherman said of his leadoff hitter. “I mean, he’s kind of hit everywhere in the lineup the past four years.”

Aguillard also went 2-for-4. He drove in three runs. Senior Kole Schrock added a 2-for-3 day, scoring twice.

Fellow senior Kipp Davis was 1-for-3 and had an RBI-single in the second inning. He later scored on a wild pitch.

“It’s good to have timely hits, but have good at-bats, have a purpose,” Smitherman said of his offensive approach. “That’s what we’ve been preaching to them. I think it’s sinking in a little bit. I would love for it to sink in some more.”

Smitherman was pleased that his team bounced back after being routed by Guthrie Saturday.

“We come here and then we get we find a way to scratch out a win and then just continue to process.”

The win earned Western Heights its 10th win (and third in District 5A-1 play) with 17 games left in the regular season. This comes after earning nine wins last season, seven wins in 2023 and a 0-14 mark in Smitherman’s first season (2022).

“I think we’re in a good place,” Smitherman said after his team has won three out of its last four district games. “That’s huge for us here at Western Heights. 
We’re talking 20 plus years that hasn’t happened.”

Before Smitherman’s tenure, the Jets had six wins in a season twice, dating back to 2014.

Smitherman pointed out that some of his players had very little baseball experience. He said he has preached to his team that they can compete with bad teams and also teams like back-to-back 5A champ Carl Albert.

“No matter who it is, I to convinced them, get them to understand that they still put their pants on the same way we do . . . There’s no secret recipe for it.

“It’s consistency and working hard and effort. When you get that, then great things can happen.”

UP NEXT

Western Heights travels to Del City to complete the 5A-1 series Tuesday (April 15) at 5 p.m.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Del City (2-19, 0-9)	1	0	1	1	1	0	0	4	7	6
Western Heights (10-11, 3-8)	2	3	0	0	0	4	X	9	7	4