Oktaha snaps streak of two-time champs to gain final

By Kenton Brooks
Phoenix Sports Writer

May 12, 2008 11:08 am

— SHAWNEE — Coach Chris Burt had plenty to be happy about Saturday.
Not only did his Oktaha Tigers beat the Dale Pirates 9-2 for a historic victory in the Class 2A semifinals at the state baseball tournament, it was also his 40th birthday.
The Tigers, ranked No. 2 in the final OKrankings.com poll and now 30-1 for the season, advance to the state championship game at 2:30 p.m. Monday against No. 1 Silo (27-3) at Shawnee High School’s Ed Skelton Field.
With the win, Oktaha extended its winning streak to 24 games and stopped a 10-year run in which either Dale or Latta have won the 2A title. The Pirates (20-13) had won the last two championships.
“That’s a good present,” Burt said, walking out of the dugout.
Winning pitcher Cale Elam (8-0) had his own gift. He struck out seven batters in tossing the complete-game victory. He gave up a solo home run to Trace Dilliner and Dallas Streber scored on a groundout for the Pirates’ only runs.
“I made the one mistake (the home run) all day,” the sophomore said. “My off-speed pitches were working really good even though it didn’t have the jump on it that it usually does.
“I didn’t know it was coach’s birthday until (assistant) coach Don Roe and someone else said something before the game. He deserves a state championship because he works really hard.”
After struggling early at the plate — Oktaha ended the second inning with a bases-loaded double play — the Tigers woke up the bats, scoring all their runs in the last three innings, including four in the top of the seventh.
Derrick Skinner, the Tigers’ No. 9 batter and designated hitter, led the way with three hits, including a double, and drove in a pair of runs.
“I stepped it up,” he said. “I hit a fastball for the double and hardly saw any off-speed pitches. I love it that we won on coach Burt’s birthday, especially here in the state tournament.”
Third baseman Brandon Vogt and second baseman Steven Downum added two hits each for the Tigers. Center fielder Daniel Hayes had a two-run single in the three-run fifth as Oktaha took its first lead of the game at 3-2.
Ironically, the last time Oktaha played Dale in the spring state tournament, it lost in the 2006 finals. The two did not meet this spring but the Tigers lost all three meetings in the fall.
In the other semifinal, fall champion and No. 1 Silo held off No. 4 Sallisaw Central 17-13. Silo, scoring nine runs in the third inning and sending 14 batters to the plate in that inning, led 13-0 after 3 1/2 innings and improved to 27-3. Sallisaw Central, coached by Muskogee High School graduate Kevin Rodden, scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh and four runs in the fourth to end the season at 30-8.

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