Tahlequah Sequoyah falls to Little Axe in 3A title game
BY JOHN D. FERGUSON World Correspondent
Sunday, October 07, 2012
10/07/12 at 6:11 AM
OKLAHOMA CITY - No. 1 Little Axe proved it can win the close softball games. The Indians won every Class 3A state tournament contest by a single run, and Saturday's 1-0 state championship victory over No. 4 Tahlequah Sequoyah was no different.
A chilled crowd of 500 at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium watched as Little Axe (28-10) pushed across a run in the bottom of the seventh to topple Tahlequah Sequoyah (31-8).
"Sometimes, one mistake can cost you," Sequoyah coach Jeff Turtle said of finishing state runner-up. "But there's 60-some teams that want to be where we were today (in the final). I'm proud of the team."
Turtle's team stayed right with Little Axe, but two errors in the seventh pushed across the unearned winning run.
The title was the third straight for Little Axe. The champs won the 4A crown two years ago and 3A trophy last year.
Little Axe got its winning run when Ally Allen reached first after hitting a dribbler in front of the plate. Catcher Rain Thompson's low throw to first base went into foul territory.
Allen was sacrificed to second by Kenna Watson's bunt and reached third on Sammy Leisinger's single to right field. Sequoyah relief pitcher Kati Phillips struck out Aspen Vail and intentionally walked Andee Frazier to load the bases with two out.
Reagan McDoulett followed by hitting a slow roller to second baseman Taylor Thompson, who tossed to shortstop Kara Linch. But Linch could not control the ball and it dropped to the ground as Allen raced home to begin Little Axe's celebration.
The future looks bright for Sequoyah.
"We've got to keep chipping away at it," Turtle said. "We have only three seniors. I thought the best two teams were here after we found out who we would play in the final. Both pitchers pitched well."
The pitchers were solid. Little Axe's Frazier struck out 13 and surrendered two hits. No Sequoyah runner reached third.
Sequoyah starter Jessie Bluebird scattered two hits and struck out one. Reliever Phillips came in during a sixth inning rally by Little Axe and got two quick outs.
Sequoyah's best scoring chance came in the second inning. With one out, Randa Walker walked. Jackie Wright followed with a single to right field and Walker tried to stretch it to third.
However, Allen threw a strike to third baseman Aubree Branch to get Walker sliding.
Davenport takes A title: Freshman catcher Annie Waters certainly knows about Davenport's rich history in softball. Her four older sisters were members of multiple state championship teams for Davenport.
Now she can claim a state championship of her own.
Davenport won its 10th fastpitch state softball title Saturday by defeating Binger-Oney, 7-5, in the Class A championship game at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.
It was the Bulldogs' first fastpitch crown since 2005.
Davenport entered the state tournament ranked No. 12 but rallied from three runs down in the seventh inning of the semifinals Friday to defeat No. 1 Roff, 6-4, then knocked off No. 3 Binger-Oney on Saturday.
"No one ever believed in us," Waters said. "I think rankings are way overrated."
Davenport coach Brandy Chavez said it seemed the Bulldogs were destined to win the title.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Davenport's first softball state championship.
"It just kind of had some Bulldog magic," she said.
LITTLE AXE 1, TAH. SEQUOYAH 0
| Tah. Sequoyah |
000 |
000 |
0 |
- |
0 |
2 |
2 |
| Little Axe |
000 |
000 |
1 |
- |
1 |
3 |
0 |
Bluebird, Phillips (6) and Thompson; Frazier and McDoulett. W: Frazier. L: Phillips.
DAVENPORT 7, BINGER-ONEY 5
| Binger-Oney |
502 |
021 |
00 |
- |
5 |
8 |
5 |
| Davenport |
531 |
003 |
0x |
- |
7 |
8 |
3 |
Shives and Fixico; Peterson and Waters. W: Peterson. L: Shives. HR: Binger-Oney, Wilson.
Ed Godfrey of The Oklahoman contributed to this report.
Associated Images:
Tahlequah Sequoyah's Kara Linch catches a ball at second base during Saturday's Class 3A championship game. GARETT FISBECK/The Oklahoman
|
