(Cushing, Oklahoma) Leading this year’s charges of third year for the Cushing lady tiger softball team are head Coach Chad Short and assistants Charles Copeland and Lonnie Schuler with senior pitching ace, Megan Carrier. Pinning down the corners for her defensively were fellow seniors Jordan Baugus on third and Lizzie Kennedy on first. Shoring up the middle were recent move in senior Tiah McNamara working short and junior Tristyn Short on the two bag. Prowling the outfield this year for the Cushing tigers will be returning 3 year starter and anchor Jessica Niccum in center with sophomores Chloe Tate guarding the left side and Kayley Walters protecting the line on right.
The coaches have hinted that they will play the outfield by committee to keep some bigger bats in the game, so joining Niccum and partners in the outfield this year will be speedster Mariah Treat and sluggers Mikaela Weaver and Kira Cox, handling catching duties this year for Carrier will be senior Fabian Blankenship.
Cushing was first on the scoreboard last Tuesday night as McNamara batting in the 3 spot, lined to left and scored on designated hitter Mikaela Weavers’ long single to center. The 1 to 0 score held thru 5 innings before the maroons were able to mount some offense of their own by plating the tying run, followed by 2 more runs in the 6th and an insurance run in the 7th to keep their winning streak against the tigers in place with a 4 to 1 victory. The Cushing JV beat their Perry counterparts in the late game 4 to 3 with sophomores Hailea Johnson, Mindy Compton and freshman Josie Hood combining pitching chores for the win.
Thursday, August 7th, the Cushing tigers hosted their annual “Fall Classic” with 12 teams showing up to take on the August summer sun with some very exciting and well played softball. With the Cushing varsity on 1 side of the bracket with the Cushing jv on the other side, while many hoped for a “Cushing” finale, the tornados of Drumright had other ideas. The lady tigers of Cushing started their quest for a trophy thru the pool play format by facing down Tonkawa 11-4, Perkins-Tryon 5-3 on Thursday.
In Friday’s tournament action, the lady tigers beat Luther 6-1 and Pawhuska 8-2 to then go on to beat a tough Depew team 5-3 saturday morning to fill in 1 side of the championship bracket.
The Drumright tornados led by Coach Blake Flewellen were the second team to notch their championship game ticket. Drumright reached the finals by beating Pawnee, and Cushing jv Thursday, Agra and Blackwell Friday and perennial power Dale Saturday morning. The Cushing jv went 3 and 3 in the tournament.
The championship game lived up to its much anticipated heavyweight matchup between the 2 arch rivals. Cushing won the toss and took home field. Drumright promptly put a run on the board to take an early 1-0 lead. Cushing not to be intimidated, slugged back in their half of the first by plating 2 runs of their own. McNamara and Weaver had back to back singles and were brought home by Carriers mammoth shot over the centerfielder for a standup double. Drumright came right back in the second, knotting the game at 2 before Carrier struck out the side to end the threat. The score stood at 2-2 thru 3 ½ innings before Carrier lead off in the 4th with a pooch single over the shortstop moving to second on Niccum’s sacrifice bunt.
By scoring what would hold up to be the winning run on Blankenship’s long single to the left center gap, Carrier struck out 6 tornados and 39 batters total in 6 games on her way to earning the tourney’s coveted “most valuable pitcher” award.
The tigers won the pitcher’s dual with Drumright 3 – 2, putting the school year’s first championship trophy in the Cushing High School trophy case . Carrier’s counterpart Ashley Potter took the loss for Drumright. Tornado catcher Courtney Stucks captured tourney “offensive” player award while the defensive player award went to the Dale shortstop. Dale won the consolation game over Depew 8 to 3.
Cushing’s softballers travel to Cleveland Monday, August 13th to take on their red tigers counterparts and then Thursday they travel to Glenpool before coming home to host a 6 team festival this coming Friday, starting at 4 pm.
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