Class A baseball: Amber-Pocasset defeats Tushka to win first state title

SHAWNEE — Amber-Pocasset head coach Cheyenne Graham figured Hayden Brown was in for a big day after seeing his first swing.

The hit was pivotal, flipping Amber-Pocasset's one-run deficit to a one-run lead in the bottom of the first inning. Brown crushed a two-run RBI double to center field and let out a roar as if he was on top of a mountain once reaching second base.

The vulnerable yet triumphant moment boosted the senior's confidence. Unbeknownst to him then, Brown's hit triggered inspiration in the Panthers' dugout.

"If you don't know Hayden very well, he's just a fierce competitor," Graham said following the Panthers' 7-2 win over first-ranked Tushka in the Class A state championship Saturday at Shawnee High School. "Once Hayden got that first hit, all of us in the dugout were thinking, 'Look out, Hayden Brown is here to shine.'"

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For the first time in program history, Amber-Pocasset is the Class A baseball state champion.

Brown spearheaded the Panthers' efforts despite not starting in Friday's semifinal win over Arapaho-Butler. The senior first baseman continued to make game-changing plays throughout the afternoon, as his three at-bats resulted in five of their seven runs scored.

"My mindset in every game is just to play like it's my last game ever, and I mean — it was my last game ever," Brown said. "I felt I had no choice but to leave everything I had on the field today. This is something that most kids don't get to cherish, and it's a moment that I'll never forget."

Amber-Pocasset allowed Tushka to get on board at the top of the first inning with an RBI single from senior Pete Goodson. However, the opening score supplied the peak of the Tigers' momentum.

When the Panthers needed him most, Brown stepped to the plate and delivered. A three-run RBI single to left field in the bottom of the fourth inning helped balloon Amber-Pocasset's lead to six.

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In the end, the Panthers didn't allow much pushback from Tushka. Sophomore Jackson Riley pitched all seven innings and earned the win while striking out four batters.

"Coach Graham always tells us to stay within our standard," Brown said. "Us pulling this off is amazing. I hope the next groups after us keep the standard and keep playing like we did today because it's a part of our standard framework here."

Amber-Pocasset ends the season with a 29-6 record, having won 15 of its last 16 games while defeating opponents by six runs per game.

Graham has been a pillar of leadership amongst players since being hired as the Panthers' head coach in 2009. To his surprise, nearly a dozen of his former players showed up to each state playoff game to stand in the dugout.

Graham hopes that more alums will continue to show support and help cast even further success onto the Amber-Pocasset baseball program.

"The fact that we had coaches and players take the trip here to see us pull it off is unbelievable," Graham said. "I hope that never changes. This championship serves as a little validation that we're doing things right. I'm truly blessed to be part of this program."

Jordan Davis covers high school sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Jordan? He can be reached at jdavis@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @jdavis34_ . Sign up for The Varsity Club newsletter to access more high school coverage. Support Jordan’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Class A baseball: Amber-Pocasset defeats Tushka to win first state title