Beat Sallisaw, lose to Tuttle
The Racers opened the 2025 OSSAA Class 4A State Tournament last Thursday with a quarterfinal win against Sallisaw, 6-5, but ended their season on a return visit at 1:30 p.m. Friday, losing to Tuttle, 12-5.
With Newcastle’s season complete, all that remained was watching the two other Tri City teams.
Tuttle went to the finals to face Blanchard on Saturday at Chickasaw Downtown Ballpark, but lost to the State Champion Lions, 9-8.
Newcastle Head Coach Jarod King said, “We were up in both games, playing really well, and then in the second game, Tuttle got some hits and we got behind the 8-ball. The kids played hard and gave it all they had.”
With Chickasha being another team at the State Tournament, the Tri City area swept competition in Class 4A.
King said, “We’ll have to find a way to beat those guys next year. Blanchard has been at the State Tournament the past four years, and Tuttle has been there the past three. That’s where we want to be.”
King said Newcastle had a great regular season, beating both teams in the top at State in Classes 4A, 5A and 6A, and they also beat the Class 3A State Champion.
The Racers lose first baseman Jackson Schanuel, designated hitter Taj Smith, second baseman Austin Gibson, and outfielder Landon Eastep to graduation.
Coach King said he’ll have most of his pitchers and a lot of returners coming back next year.
