It seems that we say this every year but the 4A field is loaded once again with arguably the most exciting day one of a State Tournament that we have seen in awhile.  Not only are there multiple teams that are capable of dogpiling on Saturday in the 4A field, multiple programs would see themselves as true title contenders in both 5A and 6A.  We take a look at a few players to keep your eye on this week as well as look into what each team has to do to continue playing on to the weekend.

CUSHING TIGERS

OVERALL RECORD: 22-7

RECORD AGAINST THE FIELD: 0-0

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Beau Roe, 2025, INF/RHP, Uncommitted

Gage Lovin, 2024, UTL, Uncommitted

Stetson Ethridge, 2025, OF/RHP Uncommitted

Statler Ethridge, 2024, RHP/OF, East Central Commit

Coach Scalf and the Cushing Tigers return to the state tournament for the second consecutive year looking to make some noise. The Tigers were able to win their winner take all game in the Area tournament to clinch their spot in this week’s action. Cushing uses a committee where they mix and match who they use on the mound in big games, but usually rely on seniors Gage Lovin and Statler Ethridge to get most of their important outs. At the plate, the Tigers have gotten a ton of production out of junior Beau Roe and senior Gage Lovin. Cushing have players that got a real taste of postseason baseball a year ago, and that experience will prove key if they want a shot of winning a few games to make it Saturday’s championship games at Bricktown.

TUTTLE TIGERS

OVERALL RECORD: 35-4

RECORD AGAINST THE FIELD: 5-1

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Braylon Brooks, 2024, MIF/P, OSU commit

Jackson Johnson, 2026, OF/P, Uncommitted

Easton Green, 2025, OF/P, Cowley County commit

Hunter Watson, 2026, C/P, OU commit

Brady McAdoo, 2025, MIF, Uncommitted

Kolby Heskett, 2024, P/1B, NOC Tonkawa commit

Grayson Barnes, 2024, P, UCO commit

Sitting atop the standings of 4A-4 and having the best record in 4A is not anything new for Coach Draper and the Tigers as they put together one of the better resumes in the state regardless of class.  They have multiple weapons on both sides of the ball that they can turn to to try and repeat as State champions after their title last year.  They can go to Braylon Brooks on the mound with his low 90’s fastball and swing and miss slider who has proven himself to work deep into games.  Barnes has also been very effective this year as the velocity continues to climb to pair with his already strong pitchability.  Watson, Green, and Heskett can also take the hill with each having the type of stuff to make it tough on hitters.  Offensively, they get it going with JJ Johnson at the top as a physical and athletic leadoff man.  Green is a talented 2-hole with Brooks and Watson providing a lot of the thump in the middle of the order.  McAdoo is the wildcard for the Tigers offensively as he has one of the higher ceilings in the class thanks to his athleticism and hand strength.  The Tigers have largely rolled through 2024 and if they can continue to get strong starting pitching to pair with their already strong defensive abilities, it would not be surprising to see them go for the repeat on Saturday in Bricktown.

HILLDALE HORNETS

OVERALL RECORD: 26-9

RECORD AGAINST THE FIELD: 0-0

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Cole Leach, 2025, UTL/P, Arkansas commit

Chandler Wood, 2025, OF, Uncommitted

Parker Ireland, 2025, 1B, Uncommitted

Pearson Bennett, 2025, INF, Uncommitted

Chad Parks, 2025, OF/P, Uncommitted

Clay Leach, 2027, C/UTL/P, Uncommitted

Coach Frisby and the Hornets went through a tough Area matchup with Sallisaw that saw them win 13-2 before dropping a game 8-14.  They would then punch their ticket in the win or go home game winning 8-3 to make it into this week’s field.  Their calling card all season is their ability to rack up runs in a hurry.  In their 35 games in 2024, the Hornets were able to push across at least 8 runs 23 times meaning no lead is ever safe.  It starts at the top with the physical left-handed bat in Cole Leach.  Leach has advanced hand strength and has shown the ability to leave the yard at any time.  Obviously when you put up those type of numbers it isn’t on the back of one guy with the lineup stretching deep with productive hitters like Chandler Wood, Parker Ireland, and Pearson Bennett.  On the mound, they can turn to a couple of different options in the opener with both Leach brothers as a possibility as well as Chad Parks who has been giving them strong outings as of late.  With their ability to score in a hurry, teams in the 4A field will need to take this lineup seriously as they have the ability to outslug you at any time.

MARLOW OUTLAWS

OVERALL RECORD: 26-7

RECORD AGAINST THE FIELD: 2-0

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Hudson Morgan, 2026, INF/RHP, Oklahoma State Commit

Clint Ladon, 2027, INF, Uncommitted

Blayd Harris, 2025, UTL, Uncommitted

Jaxson Murray, 2027, OF, Uncommitted

Coach Morgan and the Marlow Outlaws return to the 4A state tournament and look to make some noise in a loaded field. The Outlaws have a young roster that has gotten some really valuable experience during the regular season that sets them up for a potential run. Marlow dropped their opening game of the Area tournament but were able to bounce back and win their next two games to get to the state tournament. The Outlaws are led by sophomore two-way Hudson Morgan who has been their best arm and bat throughout the season. Morgan works in the upper 80s into the low 90s on the mound and has the ability to beat a good lineup when he is on and throwing strikes. With Morgan being their main producer with the bat, they also have some young pieces that help contribute as well. Freshmen Clint Ladon and Jaxson Murray have given them some strong at bats this spring as well as junior Blayd Harris giving them a boost as of late. The key for Marlow is to get some quality innings out of the back half of the rotation when called upon so they are able to stay in games later in the tournament. 

CHICKASHA CHICKS

OVERALL RECORD: 27-8

RECORD AGAINST THE FIELD: 1-3

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Layton Bryan, 2025, RHP/INF, Uncommitted

Lane Jay, 2027, INF, Uncommitted

Kyler Venable, 2024, INF, MACU Commit

Bryan Lopez, 2024, INF, Uncommitted

Coach James and the Chickasha Fighting Chicks come into this year’s 4A State Tournament on a 7 game win streak. The Fighting Chicks are led by junior Layton Bryan who was our national player of the week back in March that saw him pick up a 21 strikeout outing while hitting .446 at the plate. Chickasha leans to Bryan in big games and he has proven he has the stuff to get quality hitters out at the plate. At the plate, Chickasha leans on Bryan, as well as seniors Kyler Venable and Bryan Lopez. Freshman Lane Jay has recently moved up the order into the two spot in the order and has been highly productive since the move. The Fighting Chicks seem to be playing right down the stretch which should bode for some confidence heading into this week’s state tournament.

ELK CITY ELKS

OVERALL RECORD: 27-4

RECORD AGAINST THE FIELD: 1-3

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Kash Mayfield, 2024, LHP/OF, OSU commit

Bryce Mouse, 2025, 1B/RHP, Uncommitted

Jaxon McArthur, 2026, INF/P, Uncommitted

Cole Buie, 2025, OF/P, Uncommitted

Rylee Boyd, 2024, C/P, Uncommitted

Wyatt McConnell, 2025, INF, Uncommitted

Cameron Carlile, 2025, P, Uncommitted 

Coach McClure and the Elks have been wire-to-wire one of the top programs in the state regardless of class throughout the 2024 campaign.  A lot of their success and ultimately making them one of the toughest outs in the first round has to be the emergence of left-hander Kash Mayfield.  Mayfield has always been amongst the top pitchers in the class but he has taken his game to a completely different level this spring working repeatedly in the mid 90’s with the fastball and showing plus secondary offerings that has created a ton of draft buzz ahead of this summer’s MLB Draft.  Mayfield can only take the hill in one game however and the cast around him have delivered in a big way to amass their 27 wins.  Bryce Mouse would be the number one on a majority of high school programs across the state with his big and physical frame and raw arm strength.  They can turn to multiple arms that have had success throughout the year like McArthur, Buie, and the Carlile giving them pretty strong depth on the mound.  Offensively, they have a strong mix of high-contact/high-onbase guys at the top with McArthur and Buie, followed by the bigger bats in Mayfield and senior Boyd.  They don’t let the pitcher’s take a break because sitting at the bottom of the order is the physical infielder in Wyatt McConnell who has the type of strength to change the game with one swing.  With arguably the most dominant pitcher going in the state right now and a roster full of guys producing, it would not be surprising to see them competing for a state title on Saturday in Bricktown.

NEWCASTLE RACERS

OVERALL RECORD: 32-9

RECORD AGAINST THE FIELD: 2-4

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Tyler Frazier, 2026, OF/P, Uncommitted

Lane Seaton, 2026, INF, Uncommitted

Jackson Schanuel, 2025, INF/P, Uncommitted

Kaden Longman, 2026, UTL/P, Uncommitted

Ryder Gibson, 2026,UTL/P, Uncommitted

Taj Smith, 2025, INF, Uncommitted

Austin Gibson, 2025, INF/P, Uncommitted

Coach King and the Racers have done a tremendous job eclipsing the 30 win mark in 2024 thanks in large part to a very strong sophomore and junior class.  They enter the State Tournament winners of 10 out of their last 11 games and seem to be firing on all cylinders both in putting up runs as well as limiting runs thanks to a pretty strong and deep pitching staff.  Tyler Frazier took over the reins as the frontline arm in 2024 thanks to his strong pitchability and his secondary offerings landing in the zone.  They’ve shown the ability to turn to multiple guys on the mound beside Frazier with both Gibson’s, Schanuel, and the hard throwing Longman to create a good amount of depth.  Offensively, Frazier has done a strong job out of the lead spot ahead of the physical infielder Lane Seaton who’s shown the ability to take over games out of the two hole.  Schanuel has some power in the middle of the order and the lineup can stretch pretty deep with multiple run-producers down the lineup.  While their youth compared to their peers in the 4A field might be a bit of a hurdle to overcome, their experienced gained already could play into their favor as well as set the program up for even more success in the coming years.

BLANCHARD LIONS

OVERALL RECORD: 27-7

RECORD AGAINST THE FIELD: 1-2

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Brayson Carter, 2025, OF, Uncommitted

Jaxson Heard, 2025, RHP/OF, Uncommitted

Carson Howe, 2024, INF, Murray St Commit

Kaden Felan, 2024, RHP, Crowder Commit

Aiden Kilgore, 2024, OF, NOC Enid Commit

Vaughn Mcintyre, 2025, C, Uncommitted

Coric Pierce, 2025, INF, Uncommitted 

Coach Raney and the Blanchard Lions are contenders again in Class 4A to nobody's surprise. The Lions have won 19 straight contests and have the experience to make a serious run which starts at the top of the order with junior outfielder Brayson Carter. Carter is one of the premier gamers in the state and has the ability to change games defensively in the outfield and his ability to produce at the plate. Behind Carter, the Lions have gotten a ton of production out of seniors Aiden Kilgore and Carson Howe that hit second and third in the order. Blanchard’s rotation is headlined by two main arms that have pitched in big game after big game in years past in senior Kaden Felan and junior Jaxson Heard. Both arms work in the mid to upper 80s and work in quality off speed pitches in the zone. A big boost to the Lion order this spring is junior backstop Vaughn Mcintyre who has heated up with the bad in the last few weeks. Their experience will be extremely valuable if they want to make it back to the 4A state championship game for the third consecutive year.

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