It isn't over until it's over.
It might be cliche, but it perfectly describes Lawton High's incredible comeback against Altus as the first day of the 43rd Annual Bo Bowman Tournament came to a close late Thursday at the MacArthur diamond.
The Wolverines (3-9) trailed 6-0 through five innings, but a flurry of hits and Altus pitching errors changed the complexion of the game, allowing LHS to storm back for a 15-7 win in seven innings.
"This is the first time since I've been the head of this program that we've actually come together as a team and pulled out a victory," LHS coach James Pahcoddy said. "A lot of young subs came in and contributed in a big way, and that was nice to see. It was an overall team effort, that's for sure."
The game surpassed its predetermined two-hour time limit during the sixth inning when the Bulldogs held a 7-4 lead, and unfortunately for Altus, the Wolverines took advantage of the additional time. LHS scored 11 runs -- two earned -- on only two hits in the final inning.
Although the Bulldogs avoided giving up many hits, pitching woes of other varieties plagued them down the stretch. Altus walked eight batters in the seventh, hitting four in the process.
In all, the Wolverines managed only six hits, while the Bulldogs finished with four.
Jayson "J.W." DeSilver served as the catalyst for the Wolverines' sudden spark beginning in the sixth inning.
The freshman first baseman performed perhaps the most impressive play of the game, diving to stop a possible game-clinching grounder before rolling on his back and throwing the batter out at first.
The sequence gave LHS the energy it desired, and it was all Wolverines from there.
Kegan Cline, Eli Reyes and Quintrell Scott opened the bottom half of the inning with a trio of singles, and then it was DeSilver's turn.
DeSilver grounded out, but he allowed Cline to cover the distance from third to home, giving LHS its first run of the game.
"One thing I'll say about J.W. is he's always in the game," Pahcoddy said. "He knows the game of baseball, and he's always in the game. He made a great play on that dive and gave us a spark when the Wolverines desperately needed one."
Bryson Glass followed up with a shot to deep center field, bringing in three more runs before the Bulldogs finally retired the side.
Altus added one more run in the bottom half to extend its advantage to 7-4, but the Wolverines were a determined bunch.
Keegan Jenderseck recorded a double to score Jack Hartman early in the seventh, and he scored shortly after when Kolton Brumbough, who won the game on the mound, was walked.
Kegan Cline scored on a wild pitch from Altus' Jessie Gilley to tie the game, and with the bases loaded, Marquis Scott gave LHS a shocking lead after Harman Newell was walked.
Kyler Jenderseck singled to right field to bring Brumbough home, and Glass added yet another run when Hartman was hit by a pitch.
Newell, Kyler Jenderseck, Hartman, Cline and Keegan Jenderseck all scored once before the Wolverines completed the 11-run inning, giving them a 15-7 lead.
Glass pitched relief for Brumbough and closed out the Bulldogs for good in the bottom half to give LHS its second win of the day and third overall.
The Wolverines rolled to a 15-1 victory over the Eisenhower junior varsity team earlier in the day.