MOWRYSTOWN — Some clutch hitting and defense put Whiteoak in the driver’s seat to claim a Southern Hills Athletic Conference championship when the Wildcats beat league-leading Peebles, 7-6, Wednesday.

Whiteoak improved to 9-3 in the SHAC and 14-7 overall.

Whiteoak scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning, but Peebles answered with two runs in the top of the third inning to make it a 3-2 game. Peebles tacked on a run in the fourth, but Whiteoak scored twice in the bottom of the inning to retake the lead at 5-3. Peebles scored solo runs in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the game, but Whiteoak scored twice in the sixth before giving up another solo run in the seventh inning before holding on for the win.

“Clutch hitting by Connor Butler in the fourth and Ian Griffith in the first and sixth,” Whiteoak coach Chris Veidt said. “As a team we were resilient defensively, stayed in the present and therefore made some huge plays when the situation called for such. Carson Emery gave us a quality start on the mound and then made two clutch plays in the seventh at third base. Ian and Luken Roades were outstanding in relief with Roades recording his second save.”

Griffith went 2 for 4 with three RBIs. Butler was 1 for 3 with three RBIs. Roades, Landon Barnett, David Donohoo and Kaden Moon-Stone all had one hit with Donohoo’s coming on a double.

The win moved the Wildcats into a tie for place in the SHAC with Peebles. The Wildcats have one conference game left. Peebles has three left to play.