Irvin shines in all-star game

MUSTANG — Nothing has come as a surprise for Midwest City senior DeClaudio Irvin during his breakout season.

For everyone else, that’s a different matter.

Irvin flew under the radar this spring for the Bombers, batting .430 with eight home runs.

And Wednesday night he was honored for that as the South’s Player of the Year in the annual Oklahoma City Area Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Game at Mustang High School.

“There’s a lot of good players out here,” Irvin said. “I’m just seeing them and think a lot of people could have gotten it ahead of me.”

Irvin played just part of the nine-inning game, which his team won 4-2, and made an impact. He singled and walked in three plate appearances, but he was also thrown out at home in the third inning.

Perhaps the biggest surprise for Irvin was being called out on that play.

“I wish I could have played longer,” Irvin said. “It’s all right. I got me a couple hits. And I was safe at the plate, but it’s all right. I had a good slide.”

Irvin has been a staple for Midwest City the past four seasons, starting each year. In that span, he’s improved. He recently signed with Connors State, too. Also a football player, he’s used offseason workouts to build his strength. His newfound power shocked opponents.

But he knew it was coming.

“Me knowing my body and the workouts I put in, it really wasn’t a surprise to me,” Irvin said. “It’s all right. We’ll wake them up later. Let them sleep right now.”

Compton has big hi

Carl Albert’s Jordan Compton waited seven innings for his first at-bat, and he made it count.

Compton laced a bases-loaded double to the right-center gap off Bethany’s Jake Adams to propel South to the win. At the time, it gave South a 4-0 lead. South took a 1-0 lead in the third when Shawnee catcher Kade Self hit an RBI single.

North attempted a comeback in the ninth against Norman North’s Holden Hopkins, pushing two runs across when Deer Creek’s Garrett Wilkins hit a runscoring fielder’s choice and Piedmont’s Trace Larson was hit with the bases loaded.

Former Choctaw coach throws out first pitch

Former Choctaw coach Mark Craft threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

The longtime coach retired following the 2014 season after 27 years leading the Yellowjackets.

The Yellowjackets have since been coached by Shane Hawk, who coached the South team after leading Choctaw back to the state tournament for the first time since Craft’s final season.