Latta clips third-ranked Cashion to reach 2A-1 finals

SHAWNEE — The Latta High School baseball team did a good job of manufacturing a pair of runs on the way to a 2-0 lead against Cashion in their Class 2A-1 semifinal matchup Friday at Ed Skelton Field.

There was no manufacturing of the next Latta run.

Senior Brandon Fortner blasted a solo home run an estimated 360 feet over the left field fence to lead off the top of the sixth inning, and the second-ranked Panthers held off No. 3 Cashion late for a 5-3 victory.

“You just have to take what the game gives you in certain spots, and I thought we did a pretty good job of executing most of the day,” Latta coach Dillon Atkinson told The Ada News.

The Panthers, who improved to 27-3, will battle No. 4 Colbert at 4 p.m. today in the Class 2A-1 State championship game. Latta is seeking its eighth spring state title. Colbert upset top-ranked Dale 2-0 in an earlier semifinal contest.

Latta has now won 12 consecutive games. Cashion’s season ended at 25-8.

Latta 5, Colbert 3

Fortner’s moon shot in the sixth — his fifth home run of the spring — put Latta ahead 3-0.

“Oh my gosh, it was just a matter of time. He’s such a special player. He’s really, really good and even a better kid,” Atkinson said. “That was a special moment for him.”

The Wildcats, however, didn’t go down quietly.

Kellen Smith led off the bottom of the sixth with a base hit, and Brian Nabavi followed with a line-drive double to left field that put runners at second and third.

Courtesy runner Ryder West then scored on a passed ball, and Nabavi raced home on a groundout by Kyle Yowell that trimmed the Latta lead to 3-2.

Ryder Lykins kept the inning alive with a base hit and went to second on another groundout, but Latta prevented any further damage.

The Panthers strung together four hits in the top of the seventh to produce two much-needed insurance runs.

Ryder Perry led off with a base hit up the middle, and Kase Hayes — who was the hero in Latta’s first-round win over Christian Heritage Academy with a squeeze play — executed a sacrifice bunt to move the runner into scoring position.

Christian Wolfe then beat out an infield hit, and Gestin Pollard followed with an RBI single to push the Latta lead to 4-2.

With two outs, Deakon Smith singled to right field, and Wolfe raced home to put the Panthers on top 5-2.

Cashion attempted a final comeback bid in the bottom of the seventh.

Garet McKeever ripped a triple to the fence in left field to lead off the inning and scored on a sacrifice fly by Aidan Berry to pull the Wildcats within 5-3.

However, after a walk to Ryker Jonson, Pollard finished off a complete game on the mound for the Panthers by recording back-to-back flyouts to end the game.

Pollard struck out three, walked two and allowed three earned runs in seven solid innings to improve to 6-1 this season.