Warriors Win Roff Tournament

Class A’s top-ranked Okarche beat 2A No. 2 Byng 4-2 on Saturday to win the Roff Tournament championship.

It was the Warriors’ second big tournament title of the season as they earlier laid claim to the Dale Tournament championship.

The showdown with Byng was scoreless into the seventh inning when Easton Roby broke the drought with an RBI double. 

Brett Carnott followed with a two-run single as part of a four-run inning for the Warriors.

Byng also was able to score in the seventh, but Roby limited the damage for a complete-game win. 

The Pirates collected a single and two doubles for their runs in the seventh, which were the first runs Okarche allowed in the entire tournament.

But Roby coaxed a fielder’s choice grounder to end the game as the Warriors moved to 12-1.

Roby allowed four hits overall and struck out four over seven innings. 

The loss was Byng’s first of the season.

Okarche also got wins of 4-0 over 2A’s fifth-ranked Latta and 2-0 against 2A No. 6 Calera in the tournament.

Carnott allowed only one hit over six innings while striking out six Panthers in the quarterfinal victory.

Ethan Kirby pitched a hitless seventh and earned one strikeout.

With the game scoreless in the fourth, Carnott doubled and then scored on Kirby’s single.

In the fifth, Okarche got three straight singles from Cy Collamore, Luke Hill and Roby, the last of which pushed home a run for a 2-0 lead.

Carnott made it 3-0 with a sacrifice fly and Sam Kroener’s bases-loaded walk gave the Warriors their final run.

Roby had two of Okarche’s six hits in the game.

Hill’s arm did the damage against Calera as he threw all seven innings, surrendered three hits and struck out 11 without issuing a walk.

Roby’s solo homer in the top of the first gave Okarche the early lead…and all the support Hill needed.

An insurance run was plated in the fourth inning when Jake Henderson singled home Lane Rother.