WARR ACRES — After a tough week playing against two of the best teams in 4A and 6A, Bethany notched its second straight comeback win with a 4-3 victory over Putnam City West Saturday (April 11) in the consolation final of the Northwest Optimist Darrel Palmer Classic.

Bethany coach Robert Lee likened the stretch to playing the top teams in Major League Baseball in the same week with Tuttle being the Dodgers and Mustang being the Yankees.

Following the three-game stretch where the Bronchos were outscored 47-4, Bethany had to come from behind against host Putnam City Friday and then West used early Bronchos miscues to build a lead.

“I was proud of the way they responded, especially yesterday,” Lee said, noting that Bethany was down by five runs in the Putnam City game. “In this game, you just have to have resolve. Both days, they did a good job showing it.”

The walkoff win came in the fifth inning due to the tournament’s time limit. Bethany scored two runs in the final inning with help from a West error.

Junior Damyen Aguilar drew a leadoff walk. Fellow junior Brody McLaren followed with a single to left center. Junior Cooper Willis tied the game at 3-3 with a single up the middle which scored Aguilar.

After a strikeout, sophomore Stoli Melton grounded to West third baseman Malachi Ferguson, who was paying in to keep the winning from scoring. Ferguson’s throw home was errant and McLaren crossed the plate for the win.

McLaren had a 2-for-3 day.

“(McLaren) is about as good as as leadoff hitter as there is,” Lee said.

Willis and freshman Jayden Rose also had hits.

On the mound, freshman Isaac Bellows earned the win in relief. He pitched 1 2/3 innings with two hits and one run. He walked two and struck out two.

“I tell you, he’s a baseball player,” Lee said of Bellows. “He plays well in the field. His bat is coming around, and we’ve got a lot of young guys that are doing that.”

Fellow freshman Kory Draper Whitener took the no-decision. He pitched 3 1/3 innings and allowed four hits and two runs. Draper Whitener struck out two and walked two.

Draper Whitener drew high praise from Lee.

“We’re excited about him. He kind of shows me some resemblance to Charlie Tolle was when Charlie was a freshman,” Lee said. Lee was coaching Bethany when Tolle was a freshman.

Lee noted his team’s youth.

“We’re a brand new team. I think we start four freshmen or three sophomores. The upper classmen we have playing are doing a good job. They’re holding it together.”

PATRIOT MISCUES TOO MUCH TO OVERCOME

“We made two costly mistakes,” West coach Grason Wright said via text.”The boys played great besides those two plays but against good teams that’s what costs you wins”

A Bethany error led to West’s first runs. Junior Aaron De Loera led off the game with a single. He moved to third on an errant pickoff throw by Draper Whitener.

A Ferguson groundout scored De Loera to make it 2-0.

In the second inning, Bethany’s Rose doubled. Sophomore Cooper Suarez laid down a sacrifice bunt. West catcher Daniel Hoyt fielded the ball but his throw went over first baseman De Loera’s head and into foul territory down the right field line.

Rose scored and Suarez came around to score tie the game at 2.

The contest stayed tied until the fifth inning. West senior Ezequiel Hernandez singled, stole second and scored on freshman Tylor Mason’s single.

Mason went 2-for-3. De Loera, Hernandez, sophomore Cadence Smith and freshman Riley Axtell also had hits.

Smith pitched the entire shortened game. He allowed four hits, two earned runs. Smith walked two batters and struck out four.

UP NEXT

Bethany (13-7, 8-2) faces 4A-3 leader Sulphur (tied with Tuttle) Monday and Tuesday (April 13-14).

The Bulldogs beat A Caddo 21-16 Friday.

Putnam City West (9-11, 1-6) has a 6A-1 doubleheader with U.S. Grant (3-11, 0-8) Monday (April 13).

The Generals lost to Capitol Hill 15-5 on Thursday.

BETHANY 4, PUTNAM CITY WEST 3

Putnam City West	AB	R	H	BI
De Loera	3	1	1	0
Ferguson	3	0	0	1
Smith	2	1	1	0
Hernandez	2	1	1	1
Jones	2	0	0	0
Hoyt	1	0	0	0
Mason	3	0	2	1
White	2	0	0	0
Axtell	3	0	1	0
TOTALS	21	3	6	3
Bethany	AB	R	H	BI
McLaren	3	1	2	0
Willis	3	0	1	1
Brown	2	0	0	0
Melton	3	0	0	0
Rose	2	1	1	0
Suarez	1	1	0	1
Burleson	1	0	0	0
Bellows	1	0	0	0
Aguilar	0	1	0	0
TOTALS	16	4	4	2
	1	2	3	4	5	R	H	E
Putnam City West (9-11)	2	0	0	0	1	3	6	2
Bethany (13-7)	0	2	0	0	2	4	4	1
PUTNAM CITY WEST – 2B: Smith, Axtell. HBP: Hernandez, Hoyt. SB: Hernandez, Smith, Jones. E: Ferguson, Hoyt. BETHANY – 2B: McLaren, Rose. HBP: Aguilar. SB: Willis, Aguilar. SAC: Brown, Bellows, Suarez. E: Draper Whitener.
Putnam City West	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Smith (L)	4 1/3	4	4	2	2	4
Bethany	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Draper Whitener	3 1/3	4	2	2	2	2
Bellows (W)	1 2/3	2	1	1	2	2