Oologah will play for seventh fastpitch softball title
BY JOHN D. FERGUSON World Correspondent
Saturday, October 13, 2012
10/13/12 at 5:54 AM
OKLAHOMA CITY - Oologah's recent softball climb to softball excellence would be an easy chart to construct.
The Mustangs reached the state tournament in 2010 and lost in the first round. In 2011, the team lost in the second round. Friday at Hall of Fame Stadium, Oologah won its second-round test, 2-1, over Tuttle to reach the Class 4A fastpitch championship game.
Oologah (30-5) will play for its seventh fastpitch state championship at 11 a.m. Saturday against offensive powerhouse Piedmont (33-6). Piedmont ousted Cache 12-0 in the other semifinal.
The Mustangs were the hot team of the late 1980s and 1990s. Oologah won gold trophies in 1988 and '89, 1992 and '93 and 1998 and '99.
The Mustangs got to the title test with a fourth-inning home run by shortstop Taylor McElhaney and a fifth-inning sacrifice fly by catcher Jayci Wang. Wang drove in Olivia Slater, who was pinch-running for Jennifer Hertel, who opened the inning with a single.
Pitching has not been a problem for the Mustangs, either. Junior Hunter Jeffs tossed a one-hitter in Thursday's first round and scattered five hits Friday against Tuttle. Jeffs also had six strikeouts.
"We all want that feeling in our hearts to win it all," Jeffs said of the team's goal. "We think this is the year."
The winning run came on Wang's two-strike sacrifice fly with the bases loaded.
Tuttle (33-7) got a runner to second base with one out in the seventh inning. But Jeffs got a strikeout and pop out to ignite the celebration.
What did Vaughan think was the secret to the Mustangs' success in 2012?
"From day one, we've been on a mission," said Vaughan, who was the winning pitcher when Claremore won the 1994 championship.
Piedmont 12, Cache 0: Piedmont, averaging 14.5 runs a game in two state tournament games, pounded out 12 hits against Cache (37-3) to end the game after sixth innings due to the mercy rule.
Courtney Anderson tossed a one-hitter in the victory.
Kylie Palmer led Piedmont with six RBIs. She used a sacrifice fly, two-run double and three-run home run to do her damage.
Linescores
OOLOGAH 2, TUTTLE 1
| Tuttle |
000 |
001 |
0 |
- |
1 |
5 |
2 |
| Oologah |
000 |
110 |
x |
- |
2 |
4 |
0 |
Coats and Gracey, Winters (7); Jeffs and Wang. HR: Oologah, McElhaney.
PIEDMONT 12, CACHE 0
| Piedmont |
212 |
304 |
- |
12 |
12 |
0 |
| Cache |
000 |
000 |
- |
0 |
1 |
1 |
Anderson and Davis; Landmark and Bonnarens. HR: Piedmont, Palmer.
Original Print Headline: Oologah in title game
Associated Images:
Oologah's Alex Edinger (11) celebrates with teammates after winning a 4A state softball semifinal game over Tuttle at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City on Friday. GARETT FISBECK/ The Oklahoman
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