Alpha Omega Academy Takes Advantage of Errors, Defeats Live Oak Classical 4-2

TAPPS DIVISION 4 STATE SEMI-FINAL

Alpha Omega Academy took advantage of Live Oak Classical errors and got a solid pitching performance from Colton Sikes to win the first TAPPS Division 4 Semifinal Game 4-2. Alpha Omega will now meet the winner of the Covenant Classical/Denton Calvary Semifinal Game in the Division 4 State Championship game tomorrow morning.

Live Oak opened the scoring in the top of the 1st. Leadoff hitter Greyson Bathhurst got on board by error, stole second and move to third on a Colton Omo infield single. Andrew Omo then singled to right field scoring Bathurst. Colton Omo scored the second run of the inning on a Sawyer Hillman Sacrifice Fly. Live Oak took the early 2-0 lead.

Alpha Omega tied up the ballgame in the bottom of the 2nd. With two outs, Keaton Winn walked and Rowdy Nichols singled to put runners on first and second. On the next play an errant throw got by the first basemen and both Winn and Nichols scored. That made it 2-2.

Alpha Omega took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the 5th. With one out, Austin McCaffety walked and then stole second. Case Collum hit a fly ball to centerfield for the second out but McCaffety tagged on the play. The throw to 3rd got past the 3rd baseman and McCafferty ran home for the score. Alpha Omega picked up another run in the 6th when Carter Bradley scored on a passed ball giving them a 4-2 lead headed to the 7th.

After giving up 2 unearned runs in the first, Sikes settled down giving up only one more hit the rest of the way and never allowed a runner past 2nd Base, In 7 innings, he gave up 2 hits, 2 unearned runs, struck out 8 batters and walked 3. He was named the THSB MVP of the Game.

“We got off to a rocky start,” Sikes stated. “I knew I needed to come out and keep attacking each batter. I just tried to have that same mentality every inning.”

“We didn’t swing it well today,” Head Coach Casey Collum explained. “But we got guys on base and we just relentlessly pushed forward. It’s what we talk about and work on all the time. We are very excited about playing in the championship game. It will be first time in about 20 years. It’s what we have been working towards since January.”