Guthrie Baseball wins Chandler Tournament with four wins

Braden Davenport helped start the scoring and finised the scoring in the Mark Howard Memorial championship game in Chandler. The senior help lead the Jays to an extra inning win on championship Saturday.

Davenport lifted a sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth inning to score the eventual winning run in Camden Wilcott. Guthrie defeated Bethel 11-10 to go unbeaten in the four-day tournament at Mark Howard Park.

Davenport, along with Jeremiah Blackmon, Evan Kowalski and Tyler Kisner, was named to the All-Tournament team for their performance throughout the week. Not to be out done, senior Zane Maltz collected two wins on the mound, including the championship game, and at one time reached on base nine out of 10 times. The three-year starter finished with with six hits combined in the last three games.

Guthrie picked up two wins on Wednesday with an 8-3 win over Chandler junior varsity and a 6-4 decision over Jones. On the following day, the Jays picked up an 11-7 win over Putnam City West to clinch a championship game berth. For game audio and interviews click here for audio.

In the title game, Guthrie jumped out to a 4-0 lead by scoring two runs in their first two at bats.

In the first inning, Maltz delivered a RBI triple by plating Blackmon and was followed up by a Davenport sacrifice fly. In the second, Cal Davis got an infield single and soon after Dalton Graybeal doubled, but Bethel misplayed the relay throw to send Davis home. With two outs, Wilcott delivered a double to score Graybeal.

With a 4-1 lead, Bethel erupted for nine runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 10-4 lead.

Guthrie quickly responded with a rally of their own in the fifth inning.

The first five batters of the inning reached on base and all five would come around to score to pull within a run, 10-9. Highlighting the inning was a Maltz RBI single and a two-RBI double by Kowalski.

The Bluejays tied the game at 10-all in the sixth inning with a little bit of manufacturing.

Blackmon, who reached on base by walking to begin the inning, was moved to second on a wildpitch and eventually moved to third base. Maltz, who also walked, was at second base and took off on a pitch for third base. Bethel attempted a play on Maltz on his return back to second base, which then Blackmon took off from third and slid into home just before the throw from second base came in.

In the eighth inning, Wilcott started the inning with a single and later scored on Davenport’s sacrifice fly.

Guthrie (7-1) has now won five straight games and gets back into district play with a trip to Piedmont on Monday. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m. Listen online here on GSP.