In a comeback for the ages, Purcell overcame a 11-4 third inning deficit and rallied past CCS in the finals of the HOOT to bring home the championship trophy last Saturday.

Purcell hung at least one run in every inning including a four-spot in the bottom of the sixth to post a 13-11 victory over the Class 4A top 10 team.

The Royals jumped into the lead in the top of the second when they pushed across five and followed that with six runs in their half of the third.

That was before Cash Cook climbed to the top of the pitcher’s mound with one out in the third. He retired the side giving up a run but shutout the Royals the rest of the way while the Dragons kept chipping away.

Purcell scored a pair in the bottom of the inning, one in the fourth, two in the fifth and the big four-run sixth for their 14th win of the season against seven losses.

“It was one of the most exciting games I have been a part of,” victorious head coach Cole Sharp said. “CCS is a top 10 team in 4A and that was huge for us. “It was a great team effort and we will need this to continue throughout the season.”

It was Purcell’s first time to win the Heart since 2018.

Sharp said Kash Knowles got the start but had some control issues.

“He had a couple of close calls that could have gone either way.  We brought in Preston Kane in relief for an inning and a third.

That’s when Cook took the mound and control of the game.

“I thought that was one of Cash’s best games he’s pitched for us,” the coach said.
He had great control and attacked the zone all day.”

The junior right-hander Cook tossed 4.2/3 innings of shutout ball with a trio of strike outs.

Led by senior Bryce Blair’s 3-4 day at the plate that included a double and four RBIs, the Dragons out-hit the Royals, 9-6.

He had a clutch hit in the sixth to tie up the game.

“Bryce is hitting really well for us in the third spot,” Sharp said.

Cook not only got the job done on the bump for the Dragons but he also led off the game with a home run, his third in three games and fourth in the last five contests.

Both Cook and Deaken Dobbins scored three runs in three at bats.

Cooper Selman, Dobbins, Knowles, Izak Auz, Carter Bennett and Layton Percey all had hits in the big comeback victory.

Purcell kicked off their march to the title with an 8-0 shutout victory over Little Axe last Thursday.

Blair went the five-inning distance limiting the Indians to two hits while striking out eight Indians.

“I thought Bryce pitched a tremendous game,” Sharp said.

Dobbins got the rock to start the semifinals on the hill against Crossing Christian.

The senior right-hander responded scattering six hits in five innings of work while fanning 10 Knights to post a 13-5 victory and a trip to the finals.

At the plate Blair was once again the big stick going 4-4 with two RBIs and scored twice.

Cook once again homered this time with one base runner on the paths to give him a pair of RBIs.

Dobbins helped his own cause going 2-4 with a run batted in.

“I thought Deaken pitched really well against a great opponent,” Sharp said. Preston Kane closed out the final inning in relief.”

Layton Percey went 3-4 at the plate and Auz had a 2-4 with outing with two RBI’s.

“Overall, I was proud of the way we came out against Crossings and got after them,” the coach confirmed.

Purcell was coming off their  second straight loss to Sulphur, a 19-2 setback at home April 7. The Bulldogs pinned the loss on starter Bryce Walkup who was touched for eight hits and eight runs in the first inning.

Kane and Cook pitched in relief. Purcell’s two hits were by Knowles and Percey.

After a pair of run-rule victories over Star Spencer Monday,  12-0 and 13-0, The Dragons are 16-7. Their game with Asher Tuesday was called off due to the chance of severe weather.

Layton Percey got the pitching win in the 12-0 contest while Carter Bennett got the win in the 13-0 nightcap.

Knowles, Cook, Blair and Selman doubled in game one while Walkup smacked a triple.

Kane went 2-2 at the plate in game two. Bennett, Kaleb Steele, Jace Klein, Cannan Haynes, Connor Lund and Easton Resendiz all got hits.

The Dragons were scheduled to play Ardmore and Tecumseh.