On Monday, the Tahlequah standout left-hander was both dominant and efficient in a dazzling home outing against Skiatook.
Stacey tossed his first complete game, recorded a single-game career-high 15 strikeouts over seven innings, and allowed just two hits in the Tigers’ 4-1 win — the 10th straight for first-year head coach Nathan Frisby’s club.
But it was his ability to work ahead in counts and limit the number of walks that made him stand out, each of which factored into a favorable pitch count of 110 pitches.
“I was able to command my changeup and my curveball,” Stacey said. “I felt relaxed and just went out there and pitched.”
Stacey’s numbers through six starts are astonishing. Now 4-1 on the season, he has tallied 59 strikeouts over just 30 ? innings and allowed only 12 hits and three earned runs.
“It’s been the only time he’s got to finish all year,” said Frisby, whose team moves to 16-3 overall and 6-1 in District 5A-3. “He was a lot better for us today. His changeup was really good to go along with his other pitches. His other pitches are so good that sometimes you forget about his changeup. He was really good.”
Stacey didn’t get much help from the Tahlequah offense, but the Tigers managed to scratch across three runs when they needed to the most in the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie.
Frisby went a different direction in the sixth with a bunting game to try and manufacture runs with a stiff and chilly breeze blowing in from left field.
It paid off.
The Tigers got back-to-back walks from Kooper McAlvain and Dalton Caldwell to start the inning, and both Austin Fisher and Chace Krebs followed with sacrifice bunts. Zac Cacy, running for McAlvian, and Caldwell both crossed home plate for the go-ahead runs on Skiatook errors.
Cayden Aldridge forced in an insurance run when he reached on a third Bulldog miscue, allowing Fisher to score from third base.
“We had some chances earlier when I let some guys hit,” Frisby said. “Sometimes when you feel like you have pretty good hitters you want to let them hit. I should’ve done it earlier knowing the wind was blowing in and with it being cold. It wasn’t a hitters’ day. We should’ve done it sooner to put more pressure on their defense, but we came through when we needed to.”
Tahlequah missed on ample scoring opportunities prior to the sixth. The Tigers left the bases loaded in the fifth, runners of second and third in the fourth, and left a total of eight stranded — five of those in scoring position.
“We had so many chances to score, but we couldn’t come through,” Frisby said. “I think our time away with the weather hurt us a bit.”
Skiatook got its lone run in the second off Stacey. Stacey walked Korey Miller and Caden Ray, and Jaden Turner singled to right field to drive in the game’s first run.
The Tigers answered back immediately in the bottom of the inning when Braxton Stopp, running for Stacey, came across to score on two Skiatook throwing errors.
Tahlequah, which hasn’t lost a game since March 17 when it dropped two games to Berryhill and Oologah in Tulsa, was led offensively by McAlvain’s two hits — an infield single in the second, and a single to left during the fourth.
Stacey struck out the side in the first and second innings, and retired eight consecutive batters from the last out of the second until the first out in the fifth.
Stacey got a big boost from his senior shortstop on a rare ball hit in play in the sixth.
Defensive wizard Corbin Candy saved two runs and the Tiger lead when extended to his right for a backhand stop and threw a dart to first, leaving Skiatook baserunners at second and third.
The Tigers trail only Tulsa Booker T. Washington in the district standings. The Hornets are unbeaten at 7-0, and Pryor is sitting at 5-1 after a lopsided 24-1 win over Tulsa Memorial on Monday.
Tahlequah will complete its two-game district series with Skiato... Click here to read full article
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