Cherokee, Timberlake, Okeene/Aline-Cleo take part in tournament
The Cherokee Lady Chiefs and Timberlake Lady Tigers softball teams opened the Cherokee Strip Tournament at Kellet Field in Enid playing each other.
Cherokee was the home team following the coin toss.
Timberlake was up to bat first. Kayla Cotton led the Lady Tigers off, and on a dropped third strike was able to make it on base safely. Kilynn Gaff followed it with a walk and then a strike out and fielder’s choice out at first gave the Lady Tigers two outs. On the fielder’s choice, Cotton was able to score. The top of the inning came to an end on a strike out.
Lexi Williams started the bottom of the inning by getting on base after being hit by a pitch. Alaina Frazier followed it with a walk and later scored on a miss throw. The next two batters were recorded outs with one being thrown out at first and then a strikeout.
At the end of the inning the game was tied 1-1.
Timberlake cycled through four batters with the first being an out at first, then a walk and then two strikeouts.
In the bottom of the second, Cherokee was led off by Chesney Berry, who was walked. A strikeout followed and then an out at first by Zoey Morris was able to score Berry and record the RBI for Morris. The inning came to a close on another out at first base.
At the end of two, Cherokee led 2-1.
The Lady Chief defense held the Lady Tigers to three up and three down with a pop out and two strikeouts.
Mae Nevels started the bottom of the inning being hit by a pitch. Williams followed with a single, but Nevels was thrown out at second base. Frazier, Madysen Ryel and Sarita Kephart were walked next. Williams and Frazier both scored on an error on the throw to third base. Berry was up to bat and a single recorded one run by Ryel and a RBI for Berry. Sophie Cantellay was also able to make it to base on a walk. Kephart scored on a walk by Morris. Berry also scored in the inning on a wild pitch.
The final two batters of the inning both struck out, but not before Cherokee opened up a 7-1 lead going into the fourth inning.
Kinlie Judd opened the inning being hit by a pitch and later scored on a RBI by Karleigh Decker. McKenna Mach followed with a walk and also scored when Rylee Hutchison hit a single. The final two batters were strikeouts to end the run.
Williams was the lead off for the bottom of the fourth inning and hit a single to make it to base. Frazier was walked as the second batter. A pop out, throw out at second and an out at first ended the inning, but not before Williams scored.
Cherokee was three outs away in the fifth inning from ending the game leading 8-3.
Ryel struck out the first batter and then Gaff hit a single to get on base. A double by Henslee Powell scored Gaff, but then a pop out and strike out ended the ball game.
Cherokee won 8-4.
Cherokee fell in their next two games against Kremlin-Hillsdale 0-12 and Okeene/Aline-Cleo 2-5.
Timberlake defeated Waynoka 7-6, beat Medford 14-13 and fell to Okeene/Aline-Cleo 13-5.
Okeene/Aline-Cleo opened play in the Cherokee Strip Conference softball tournament Aug. 13 at Kellet Park in Enid.
First opponent of the day was the Medford Lady Cardinals.
Top of the first inning saw Medford jump out to an early 0-4 lead after drawing two walks and connecting for four hits.
Keely Hussey did have two strikeouts in the circle for OAC in the inning.
Bottom of the first saw Hussey reach base after being hit by a pitch before the first out occurred one at bat later by way of a strikeout.
A RBI triple by Hannah Nease drove in Hussey but back-to-back strikeouts followed to leave the score 1-4 after one inning of play.
Despite having a walk and a hit in the top of the second inning, the OAC defense got out of the second inning without allowing a run and the game moved to the bottom of the second with the score 1-4.
Madison Munden led off the bottom of the second with a walk before a strikeout one at bat later saw the inning’s first out.
Jentry Biggs then delivered a RBI single to drive in Munden. After a walk, OAC had two runners on base with one out before Hussey drew a walk of her own to load the bases.
Peyton Rauch kept the momentum going as she drew a walk of her own that allowed Biggs to cross the plate and score. An earned walk by Nease again saw an OAC runner cross the plate. Also during the Nease at bat, Hussey was able to score on a passed pitch that got by the catcher.
A RBI groundout by Katelyn Penner drove in Rauch before Alexus Naugle delivered a RBI double to drive in Nease.
A strikeout then ended the second inning, but not before OAC rebounded to take a 7-4 lead heading into the third inning.
Top of the third saw Medford respond right back as they used two walks and five hits to reclaim the lead at 7-10.
Before OAC had their turn on offense, the game reached the 75 minute time limit, meaning it would be the last scoring opportunity for OAC.
Things were looking promising as Luckie connected for a double, Biggs singled and a walk left the bases loaded with no outs and OAC needing to get three runs to extend the game.
Unfortunately, three straight outs followed at the top of the lineup and the bases were left loaded as OAC came up short 7-10.
Other games from the tournament saw OAC defeat Ringwood 4-3, Cherokee 5-2 and Timberlake 13-5. They lost against OBA 11-13.
