Dragons fall to top-ranked Rattan for third-straight semifinal loss

For the third-straight season, the Dewar Dragons punched their ticket to the Class A state baseball championships.

For the third-straight season, the Dewar Dragons reached the semifinals after notching a first-round win over a Top 5-ranked team.

For the third-straight season, the Dewar Dragons had their bid to end their state championship drought come up two wins short.

On Sunday afternoon, the Dragons had their dreams of their first state baseball championship since 1978 come to an end with a 14-4 loss to the top-ranked Rattan Rams at Edmond North High School.

The Dewar diamond squad entered the 2023 Class A state baseball championships ranked fourth and looking to end their 44-year championship drought.

The first obstacle on the Dragons’ journey towards ending their championship drought was the fifthranked Wright City Lumberjax.

The opening-round meeting with Wright City took place Saturday afternoon after the state tournament was pushed back two days after heavy rainfall last Thursday made the field at Edmond North High School unplayable.

The Dragons fell into an early 4-0 hole after the first two innings on Saturday, then battled back in the fifth and sixth innings, rallying for seven runs in those two innings for a 3-run advantage.

The Dewar defense kept the Lumberjax off the scoreboard in the sixth and seventh frames to award the Dragons their third-straight semifinal appearance with the 7-4 victory.

On Sunday, the Dragons were once again in an early disadvantage, trailing Rattan 13-0 after four innings. The Dewar squad attempted to overcome the huge deficit, but were only able to produce four runs in the top of the fifth. The top-ranked Rams ended the game on the run rule with a run in the bottom of the inning to hand the Dragons the 14-4 setback.

Dewar finishes 2023 with 29-7 record and No. 4 ranking in Class A. The Dragons made their thirdstraight state tournament appearance for the first time since 1977-79 and has reached the semifinals in their last four state tournament appearances (2009, 2021, 2022, 2023). In 2009, Dewar defeated top-ranked and defending state champion Fort Cobb-Broxton 2-1 before falling to eventual state champion Verden 6-1 in the semifinals. In 2021, Dewar defeated top-ranked Canute 4-1 before falling to fourth-ranked Wister 5-3 in the semifinals. In 2022, Dewar defeated fourth-ranked Sterling 5-3 before falling to top-ranked Canute 8-2 in the semifinals.

In Saturday’s quarterfinal battle with Wright City, the Lumberjax plated two runs in each of the first two innings for a 4-0 advantage.

The score remained at 4-0 until the top of the fifth when the Dragons broke into the scoring column with a run in the frame. The lone Dewar run in the inning came when Tryton Mack scored from third on a double-steal attempt.

In the 6-run sixth, the rally began with Jaden Maxwell reaching after being hit by a pitch. Christian Cargola followed with a double into the right-center field gap to put runners at second and third with no outs. Jonathan Wilson made it a 4-3 contest with a 2-run single to right, scoring both Maxwell and Cargola. Ashton Hawkins joined Wilson on the basepaths after being hit by a pitch.

After a pitching change by Wright City, Skelly Taylor greeted the new Lumberjax hurler with a wellplaced bunt single, loading the bases with no outs.

Mack laced a 2-run double over the centerfielder’s head to give the Dragons a 5-4 lead.

After Aidan Tomlinson was retired for the first out of the inning, the final two Dewar runs of the sixth scored on wild pitches with Jeron Brison at the plate for a 7-4 advantage.

After the Dragons were unable to add to their lead in the top of the seventh, Zack Mullen coaxed the first two Wright City hitters to fly out to center and right field, respectively, for the two outs of the inning, then struck out the last batter to put the finishing touches on the Dragons’ 7-4, opening-round, win.

Mullen earned the pitching win for Dewar. Mullen worked five scoreless innings of relief, striking out eight. The only Wright City baserunner in the final five innings was Rayner Beene, who began the fourth by being hit by a pitch.

After Beene reached, Mullen retired the next 12 batters he faced to complete his near-flawless relief appearance.

Tomlinson got the start on the mound for the Dragons against Wright City, allowing four runs on one hit with four strikeouts, five walks, and two hit batters in two innings of work.

The lone base hit for the Lumberjax came on an RBI single in the second by Kase Lindly.

Wilson was the top hitter for the Dragons in the opening-round win, finishing 3 for 4 with two singles, a triple, and 2 RBIs.

Cargola (2 for 4, single, double) and Mack (2 for 4, single, double, 2 RBIs) also recorded multi-hit games for Dewar against Wright City with two hits apiece.

Besides Taylor’s bunt single in the sixth, the only other Dewar base hit in the quarterfinal contest came on a single by Tomlinson in the third.

In the semifinal showdown with Rattan, the topranked Rams opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first, then added three in the second for a 4-0 advantage after two innings of action.

Rattan added four in the third and five in the fourth for a 13-0 margin.

The Dragons began their 4-run fifth with a double by Ashton Hawkins, single by Skelly Taylor, and RBI single by Tryton Mack. Taylor came across to score on an RBI fielder’s choice by Zack Mullen, while Mack crossed the plate to make it a 13-3 contest on a defensive miscue by the Rattan first baseman on Mullen’s grounder. The final Dewar run of the frame came across on an RBI single to left by Jaden Maxwell.

Rattan began the bottom of the fifth with backto- back singles then scored the decisive run on a 1-out single to hand Dewar the season-ending 14-4 setback.

Besides the four base hits in the fifth, the only other Dewar base hit in the semifinals came on a leadoff single by Aidan Tomlinson in the first.

Case Griffin was saddled with the pitching loss for the Dragons against Rattan, allowing four runs on four hits with one walk and one hit batter in two innings of work.

Skelly Taylor worked the next two-thirds of an inning in relief, giving up three runs on no hits, striking out one, walking two, and hitting a batter.

Hawkins was the next Dewar arm out of the bullpen, working one-third of an inning in relief, allowing four runs on three hits with one strikeout and one walk.

Jonathan Wilson worked the final inning and onethird of relief for the Dragons, giving up three runs on four hits, striking out two and hitting a batter.

--- Class A State Championships Quarterfinals

Dewar 7, Wright City 4

Dewar:0-0-0-0-1-6-0 7-9-3 WrightCity:2-2-0-0-0-0-0 4-1-0 WP: Zack Mullen LP: Rayner Beene HR: None --- Semifinals

Rattan 14, Dewar 4

Dewar:0-0-0-0-4 4 - 5 -4 Rattan: 1 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 1 14 - 11 - 3 WP: James Childers LP: Case Griffin HR: None