Mustang, Choctaw among quarterfinal winners
The Classes 6A-4A fastpitch softball state tournaments began Thursday at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex. Here’s a quick recap of the quarterfinals.
Class 6A Mustang 6, Edmond Memorial 2
Cassie Passwaters knew the pitch she was looking for.
Mustang coach Lacy Darity had talked about it all week.
“Yeah, I thought we had a good game plan against (Jill) Dickson,” Darity said, “we’re really familiar with her, seen her a bunch the last couple of years. I know she’s got a great rise ball, a good curveball and so we really just wanted to lay off the rise ball. If we saw something flat early in the count we were going to be aggressive with it.”
After seeing just two pitches, Passwaters hammered a home run over the right field wall to score two runs in the first inning. Kylie Kuykendall followed with a two-RBI single to push two more runs across the plate.
With the help of a four-run first inning, Mustang bested Edmond Memorial 6-2 on Field 3 to advance to the Class 6A state semifinals.
“The girls, they did exactly that,” Darity said. “They saw something flat and jumped on it. Put up those four runs and that was confidence and what we needed.”
Owasso 6, Choctaw 3
Owasso coach Shane Eicher wasn’t sure if he wanted to be the home or away team.
“We were contemplating on the bus on the way up here,” Eicher said, “if we won the toss if we’d be home or visitor.”
It turned out it wasn’t his decision to make. Choctaw won the toss and chose the home side. But that allowed Owasso to set the tone of the game.
“We wanted to try to score,” Eicher said with a smile, “and boy they did.”
Owasso scored five runs in the first inning. The opening-inning surge led to Owasso’s 6-3 win over Choctaw to advance to the Class 6A state semifinals.
Stillwater 5, Westmoore 3
Maggie Glasgow knew she had a job to do.
The junior from Stillwater stepped to the plate in the bottom of the 7th inning in a tie game and delivered.
Glasgow smashed a two-run walk-off home run to centerfield to give Stillwater a 5-3 win over Westmoore on Thursday. Stillwater recorded 14 hits in the win to advance to the Class 6A state semifinals.
In the close game, Stillwater struck first, plating two runs in the second inning and then another in the fifth.
Westmoore responded with three runs of its own in the sixth to tie the game before Glasgow put Stillwater on top. With the win, Stillwater continues its seven-game win streak.
Class 5A Piedmont 12, El Reno 2
Payten Schibbelhute was still getting her groove back after missing an extended period of time this season.
But her impact was on full display in the quarterfinal matchup.
Schibbelhute went 3-for-4 with four runs, three RBI and an inside-the-park home run.
“Getting her back is big for us because,” Piedmont coach Keith Coleman said. “One, it lets us put someone behind (Karissa) Fiegener. “She did a great job today, that’s what she’s always done. She’s a great player.”
Piedmont topped El Reno 12-2 on OG&E Energy Field to advance to the Class 5A state semifinals. The Wildcats scored seven runs in the final two innings to put the game away. Schibbelhute, Tayvin Davis, Tylar Short and Ava Humphries all knocked in runs.
Pryor 2, Carl Albert 1
Pryor coach Chell Looney knew the decision he had to make.
As Adriana Donnelly drew a walk in the seventh inning with the game tied, Looney brought in Katie Petrescu to courtesy run.
“That girl’s one of our faster girls and that’s how we use her,” Looney said. “Every time we have an opportunity and we need some speed, she’s the one that goes out there.”
The decision worked out for Pryor. After advancing to third base, Petrescu stole home on a Carl Albert wild pitch to give Pryor a 2-1 walk-off win on OG&E Energy Field. With Petrescu’s exciting play, Pryor advances to the Class 5A state semifinals.
Coweta 3, Guthrie 2
The scoreboard didn’t read the way Coweta coach Blake Dunn wanted it to in the quarterfinal matchup.
The Class 5A defending 2020 state champions were on the ropes, down by a run in the bottom of the seventh inning. So he gave them some reassurance.
“I just told them that we as a coaching staff believe in them,” Coweta coach Blake Dunn said, “and they just had to believe in themselves. We don’t have to do anything crazy just put the ball into play and good things will happen.” The Tigers did just that.
In the final inning, Coweta scored two runs, capped with Tayan Allen stealing home on a wild pitch to walk-off on Guthrie 3-2.
Class 4A Tecumseh 7, Harrah 3
Katie Overstreet had one of her best days of the year.
And it was great timing for the freshman.
As Tecumseh was in the midst of a big inning, Overstreet joined in with an RBI triple. Overall, the freshman knocked in three runs for the Savages.
Tecumseh knocked off Harrah 7-3 on Field 2 on INTEGRIS Field to advance to the Class 4A state semifinals. The Savages put across five runs in the third inning to break the game open and Tecumseh never looked back from there.
Tuttle 5, Bristow 2
Tuttle coach Rebecca Cobb gave her players a message as they entered the seventh inning down one run.
“This is what you are made for,” Cobb said. “Go do your job.”
Cobb’s message rang loud and clear. Tuttle plated four runners in the top of the seventh inning to take a commanding lead.
With the late surge, Tuttle bested Bristow in a come-from-behind 5-2 win on INTEGRIS Field to advance to the Class 4A state semifinals.
Plainview 1, Verdigris 0
Riley Grant had everything working for her on Thursday.
The senior pitcher from Plainview was on a roll and Verdigris felt her wrath.
Grant threw a ten-strikeout one-hitter to lead Plainview over Verdigris 1-0 to advance to the Class 4A state semifinals.
It took an error to break the scoreless tie in the second inning. Brooklyn Charnock stole home for the only run of the game.