Latta blanks Byng, edges host Tigers

TUTTLE – Randis Gray fired a five-inning, one-hit shutout and Tyler Dean went 3-for-3 from the plate with two runs batted in, four runs scored and a walk Thursday as the Latta Panthers shut out the Byng Lady Pirates 10-0 in the Tuttle Tournament.

Latta then clipped host Tuttle 7-6 in a come-from-behind win.

The Panthers, ranked No. 2 in Class 2A, improved to 7-0 on the year, while Byng dipped to 5-6. Latta played Bethany Friday for a berth in today’s 7 p.m. championship game. Byng battled host Tuttle and Lawton Ike on Friday.

Latta 10, Byng 0

Gray struck out five and surrendered only one walk in going the distance.

Dean sparked Latta’s eight-hit attack. Jace Williams and Dawson Dansby were each 1-for-2 for Latta as Williams doubled once, drove home two runs and walked once, and Dansby had one RBI and scored twice. Jeron Johnston and Jacob Savage were each 1-for-2 for the Panthers as well. Johnston scored twice and drew a walk, while Savage scored a run and walked once.

Nolan Feazle, who was 1-for-2, doubled for Byng’s only hit.

Trenton Shaw suffered the pitching loss for the Pirates after getting relief help from Trae Lowe and Mason Sellers.

Latta scored three runs in the first inning when Dean picked up an RBI off a groundout and Williams hit a two-run double.

Kyle Rogers hit a sacrifice fly to right field in the second, scoring Jeron Johnston for a 4-0 Panther advantage. Johnston had singled to center, leading off the inning.

Latta upped its lead to 6-0 in the third off a Dansby run-scoring single and a Rylan Reed sacrifice fly to left.

The Panthers then picked up a single score in the fourth when Dean drew a leadoff walk and ultimately scored off a wild pitch.

Then in the fifth inning, Dean hit a run-scoring single, Rogers scored on a passed ball and Dean scored off an error on a ball hit by Williams.

Latta 7, Tuttle 6

The Panthers rallied for five runs in the bottom of the seventh in stunning host Tuttle Thursday night in the Tuttle Tournament.

A Dean RBI single triggered the five-run outburst in the seventh. Dansby picked up an RBI off a bases-loaded walk. Williams followed with a run-scoring single, and Rylan Reed drew a walk with the bases loaded to get an RBI. Jeron Johnston’s RBI groundout scored Dansby for the walk-off game winner.

Chance Perry pitched the final three innings for the win, as he allowed just one hit and three walks while striking out three.

Dean and Rogers each went 2-for-3 from the plate for Latta as Dean knocked in two runs, scored a run and walked once, while Rogers scored a pair of runs and drew a walk.

Tuttle jumped out to a 5-0 lead after one inning and was up by a 6-0 count through two frames.

The Panthers finally got on the board in the fifth when Johnston scored off a wild pitch and Dean had an RBI infield single to shortstop, scoring Rogers to clip the deficit to 6-2.