Looking Back: Trojans Brought State Baseball Championship To Jenks District After Successful 2021 Season

By Mike Moguin
GTR Sports Writer

Senior-turned-graduates Brooks Fowler and Dylan Hammond proved to be the difference-makers in the Jenks Trojans’ baseball state championship win back in May.  

The pair connected on a defensive play and each hit a home run to help Jenks to a 9-6 win against Mustang in extra innings in the Class 6A final in Enid.

The Trojans (33-10) opened the game with a 2-0 lead in the top of the opening inning, but found themselves down 5-2 in the third and 6-4 going into the top of the seventh. They would add two runs to tie the game before making the dramatic play in the bottom frame. 

Mustang got in position to score a game-winning run when it doubled to right field.

“If that run scores, they walk us off and they win,” said Fowler, who was at shortstop. But the Bronco runner made a mistake, setting the stage for the Trojans’ miraculous play, in which Hammond, who played catcher, threw in the infield to Fowler, who then threw to his brother to force a key out.  

“Their next batter (Chance Cox) squares around to bunt and kind of jabs at it and misses it and (Braeden Jones) on second base jumps out there and kind of slips and Dylan throws it down to second, so I jump up and catch it and the kid gets in a pickle, and I threw it to my brother (sophomore Chandler Fowler) at third base and he tagged him for the first out. So, it was a huge momentum shift.”

Hammond also explained the play from his perspective.

“Basically, (Jones) got a double down the right field line and that was a tough spot to be in. The game was tied, and when you’re the next guy up, you bunt and get the next guy over to third,” Hammond said. “Whenever he went to bunt and missed it, I caught it and instinctively threw to second and it was a high throw and Brooks was there, the runner took off the third and he threw it over there and got the out and that was a big shift of momentum our way.” 

As the game moved into the top of the eight. Fowler and Brooks went to work. 

After Ty Walls singled and stole second base, Fowler made a two-shot homer over the right-field wall to make it 8-6. 

“Our two-hole (Walls) led off the inning with a single to left, and they told me to fake bunt steal, so I pulled it back and he stole second,” said Fowler, now at Oral Roberts with hopes of playing in the pros. “They threw a ball, then they threw another ball the next pitch. So it was a 2-0 count and I knew a fastball was coming, so I sat back and it was on the outer half and I drove it to right field and it got out of the ballpark. It was just patience and confidence.” 
Hammond then made his homer over the left wall. 

“I got up there and I wasn’t trying to do too much and I got my pitch and I happened to hit it well. Before we knew it, we had three runs on the board that inning,” he said. 

“Dylan’s homerun was the first of his life and it was his last at-bat of his baseball career, so it was awesome,” Fowler said. 

Mustang would not score in the bottom frame and the game was over. Jenks would finish with its first state title on the diamond in 19 years and fourth in program history. 

“It was surreal,” Hammond said. “I almost didn’t believe it. We got strike three and it really didn’t register right away, but we were state champions. Even now, it’s like a dream thinking back about it. We dogpiled out there. I don’t think any of us can put words to how it felt.” 

“It is extremely special,” Hammond added. “That’s what you’re working for since you’re a freshman in the program. We go in with a goal at the beginning of the year and that’s to win the state championship. 

“It was definitely unreal,” Fowler said. “I expected us to be there because I knew how hard we worked. But at the same time, I knew there were some really good teams and they were going to be tough to beat. Once we got there, I wasn’t going into the state championship really overconfident, I had the feeling we were the better overall team and once the final out was made, it was pretty awesome. We dogpiled, then I found my mom and dad and cried a little because that was the last baseball game I played in high school, so it was awesome to go out with a win.”