Glenwood sweeps past Pike Liberal in AISA Championship Series

MONTGOMERY — Pike Liberal Arts had plenty of chances to bring home runs Wednesday, but in the end the Patriots were left thinking what could have been.

Pike left 15 men on base in the AISA AAA Championship doubleheader against Glenwood Wednesday afternoon at Paterson Field in Montgomery. The Gators took advantage of nearly every Patriot mistake en route to 6-1 and 5-1 wins to claim the title.

“Even though we didn’t win it, I am so proud of the boys,” Pike Liberal head coach Butch Austin said. “We didn’t play well, but today is a great day for our program.”

Glenwood scored the final six runs of the game to erase an early Pike Liberal Arts lead to take game one of the AISA AAA State Championship Series 6-1.

The Gators scores three runs in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth. Glenwood took advantage of 11 walks by Pike pitcher Connor Vowell, including two with the bases loaded in the fourth.

Glenwood tied the game in the fourth on a single to right field from Luke Hammock, and scored what would turn out to be the winning run on a bases-loaded walk later in the inning. In the fifth, the Gators used two singles and a Pike error to plate two big insurance runs. Glenwood’s Brandon Moseley singled in a run in the sixth as well.

Pike loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, but couldn’t push a run across as Chandler Avant struck out on three pitches and Rush Hixon lined out to second base.

In game two, Pike strung together three consecutive singles in the fourth inning to plate their lone run of the game.

Bailey Renfroe singled on a sharp line drive to left that allowed Connor Vowell to come across.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Patriots had a chance to claw in to the Gator lead. Drew Starling singled to start off the inning and Vowell followed it up with a walk.

However, Glenwood pitcher Lawson Humphries would strike out the side to end the scoring threat.

“We just couldn’t get the timely hit,” Austin said. “That had a lot to do with their pitching. They have a great team. But these kids battled hard. The day we started I wouldn’t have given you 15 cents for our team, but they worked to get better. Toda we were just beaten by a great team.”

Vowell, Brian Adams and Myles Loving represented Pike Liberal on the All-Tournament Team,

While the season ends without the ultimate goal of a title, Austin said this team would be remembered for a long time.

“This group is a bunch of overachievers,” Austin said. “They have come the furtherst of any team I have coached. They are a great group of boys, and I love each and every one of them.”