Stigler baseball broke an Oklahoma record and tied for fifth all-time nationally on March 11 according to the NFHS (National Federation of State High School Association) Record Book with 33 runs scored in one inning against Poteau on March 11 at home. Stigler won the game 33-5 after 1.5 innings. The half inning where 33 runs were scored lasted approximately 75 minutes.
The NFHS tracks records for high school sports all around the United States. However if the record is not submitted, it will not enter the database.
The 33 runs scored by Stigler in an inning was four runs short of the national record according to NFHS, the national record was recorded in 1999 as Belmont, Miss., scored 37 runs. No Oklahoma team is listed in the NFHS database for most runs scored in an innings, which lists the top 13 nationally.
“(It was) pretty wild,” Stigler coach Kevin Wilkett said. “I really don’t know how to react. It was an unusual night. Our kids competed hard and had some things go our way.”
In the first half inning, the Panthers gave up five runs and endured a pitching change. After the half inning, Wilkett told his team to scratch back with a couple runs to get back in the ball game.
To start the bottom of the first inning, Cameron Eakle led off reaching base on a dropped third strike. Stigler put up 12 runs before Poteau was able to record an out. The Panthers then popped off 20 runs before Poteau recorded the teams second out of the inning. Stigler scored one more run in the inning before the third out was recorded.
In the inning, Stigler had 14 hits, nine players hit by pitch (three were to Latch Smith) and eight base on balls. One of the hits was a grand-slam home run by senior T.J. Kettles who went 2-for-3 with four runs and five runs batted in, a team high.
“I thought we would have to go at least a full five innings since it was a district game,” Wilkett said. “If they scored five every inning, then they could still beat us, so since it was just the first (inning) I wasn’t making too many moves because I was planning on a long game.”
Six players recorded four runs in the bottom of the first — Eakle, Kettles, Smith, Landen Hodges, Blake Goff and Dakota Drewry.
Both coaches mutually agreed to end the game after 1.5 innings.
