SLOWPITCH SOFTBALL STATE ROUNDUP
SHAWNEE — The slowpitch softball state tournament wrapped up on Wednesday at the Ball Fields at Firelake. Here is a quick look at the championship action:
Dale 24, Silo 12
Madison Conley knew she had to step up for the team.
With the bases loaded in the sixth inning, Conley hit a grand slam to force the run-rule. As she stepped on home plate, the Dale Pirates jumped on her in celebration.
“It felt so good, I knew it was long gone,” Conley said.
Conley’s walk-off grand slam earned Dale a 24-12 win over Silo in the Class 4A state championship. Dale knocked off its rivals Latta and Silo on its way to its fifth straight slowpitch state championship.
“To beat them two, who are our rivals is so, so gratifying,” Dale coach Andy Powell said. “We played our best in all three games and proved we were the best team today.”
Dale fell behind Silo 8-2 in the second inning. But the team never worried. They rallied back before taking a commanding lead.
“Our schedule allowed us to do that,” Powell said.
“There was no doubt. We knew we were the home team and we knew we could score. It can get a little nerveracking but I don’t think we were nervous at all.”
Mustang 17, Moore 13
Sierra Selfridge made the defensive play of the year.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, the senior outfielder reached over the right-field fence and robbed the Moore player of a home run. The spectacular catch wasn’t just the first out of the inning but it was also a big momentum boost.
“Once she caught that ball it felt like it was going to go our way,” Mustang coach Lacy Darity said. “They got a couple hits after that, but when you make an outstanding play like that you just feel like things are on your side. So it was awesome.”
Mustang stormed past Moore 17-13 to win the Class 6A slowpitch softball state championship on Wednesday night. Mustang knocked off No. 4 Jenks, No. 1 Southmoore and No. 3 Moore en route to its first slowpitch state championship.
“It’s awesome,” Darity said. “It’s very surreal right.”
Binger-Oney 18, Shattuck 6
The Binger-Oney players held hands and lined up just outside the foul line.
After the announcement of their championship season blared over the loudspeaker, the players ran and hoisted their trophy above their heads.
Binger-Oney knocked off Shattuck 18-6 in four innings to win the Class 2A slowpitch softball state championship. With the COVID-19 pandemic canceling its season last year, Binger-Oney didn’t waste any time reclaiming the title.
Binger-Oney combined to score 65 runs in its three state tournament games, forcing the run-rule in every one. Binger-Oney coach Jason Wilson can’t remember a team he’s coached that was as good as the 2021 team.
“This tournament bracket was loaded,” Binger-Oney coach Jason Wilson said.
“And for us to come up and do what we did just shows how good and talented these girls are. The teams didn’t do anything wrong we just played at our potential.”