Matt Oberste hits the first of of his two home runs for Sallisaw in the Black Diamonds’ 12-0 Game 2 win over Muldrow in the Class 4A district playoffs. (Mike Erwin•TIMES)
No. 13-ranked Sallisaw totaled 25 hits and 25 runs in a two-game sweep of the Bulldogs to claim the Class 4A district championship on Thursday at Black Diamond Field.
Sallisaw hit four home runs and booked a spot in the upcoming regional tournament while avenging an earlier 2-1 loss at Muldrow on April 17.
Two of those homers flew off the bat of Matt Oberste as the Diamonds clinched the district series with a 12-0 win in Game 2. The junior shortstop batted 3-for-3 in the victory with five RBIs while blasting his ninth and 10th round-trippers of the spring.
Sallisaw took a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Oberste sent a three-run shot over the fence in left center field after teammates Trevor Prewett and Tyler Sutherland had hit singles.
That would prove to be enough offensive support for Prewett, who started the game on the mound and tossed a two-hitter to get the win. The senior right-hander struck out four and walked none while recording the victory.
Prewett was the hard-luck loser in the last regular season meeting between the teams, when he pitched six scoreless innings and allowed just one hit.
The Diamonds made sure that wouldn’t happen again, though.
Oberste hit his second home run of the game in the top of the third, crushing the ball high over the scoreboard in left field. After the solo shot, Trey Wiley hit a double and Nick Walker added an RBI single to make it 5-0.
Sallisaw scored three more times in the top of the fourth. Sutherland drove in one run, another scored on an error and Colton Spencer drew a bases-loaded walk to put the Diamonds up 8-0.
Sutherland’s sacrifice fly drove in Daniel Jacobs from third base to start a four-run inning in the fifth. Oberste singled in another run before Wiley launched a two-run homer to left field for a 12-0 advantage.
Prewett finished off Muldrow in the bottom half of the inning, striking out two batters as the Diamonds won by the run rule.
Muldrow’s two hits were by Cody Limore, who hit a leadoff single, and J.P. Hill with a double in the third inning.
Prewett, Wiley and Walker all had two hits apiece for Sallisaw, while David Hadley, Sutherland, Damon Lynch and Jacobs each hit a single.
Sallisaw 13, Muldrow 3
Prewett belted a solo home run in the first inning and the Diamonds never looked back while cruising to a win in Game 1 of the district series on Thursday afternoon.
Prewett’s homer touched off a three-run inning for Sallisaw, which also got an RBI double from Oberste and an RBI single from Walker.
Sutherland reached base four times and was 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles, including a two-bagger that drove in a pair of runs in the third inning.
Muldrow scored a run in the top half of the fifth to pull within 8-3, but Sallisaw sealed the win with five runs in the bottom of the inning. Oberste provided the big hit with a two-RBI single as the Diamonds brought the run rule into effect.
Wiley was the winning pitcher for Sallisaw. The junior went the full five innings, striking out six and allowing just one hit.
