The tigers will host district play Thursday, September 29th with a double header against the pirates of Mannford in a best of three format. The first game will start at 4:30 pm, with the third game, if necessary being played on Friday at 4:30 pm.
Recaping last week’s play time, the Cushing tiger softballers traveled to Pawnee on Monday evening on September 18, to matchup with the Pawnee black bears and the Pawhuska huskies in a 2 game, 3 team round robin series. Cushing started the event by facing off with the blackbears. Cushing scored 5 runs in the opening inning to take control of what would become a lopsided game. The tigers scored early and often as the game ended with the mercy rule after 4 innings at 13 to 1 favoring the tigers. Providing key hits and scoring for Cushing were Chloe Tate, Taylor Delara with Hailea Johnson coming off the bench for a key pinch hit. Deja Wilson pitched the complete game for the win.
Staying on the field to face the Pawhuska huskies, found the tigers in a defensive pitcher’s duel. The game was tied through 3 1/2 hard fought innings. Michelle Hubbard reached base via error, moved to second on a wild pitch then scored as the huskie third baseman over threw first base on Carly Deaton’s grounder. After setting the Pawhuska squad down in order in the fifth, the tiger bats came alive as they plated 5 runs in their half of the fifth, compliments of several key errors by the huskies. Cushing’s third baseman, Jordan Baugus ended the scoring for the Cushing tigers when she circled the bases and scored the final run after blasting a slow roller to shallow short. With the Pawhuska defense unable to contain her or catch her, the Cushing fans held their breath and watched in amazement as Baugus weaved and wheezed the 240 foot circle to score the game’s final run and her first career “homerun” albeit by errors. The Huskies were unable to mount a response and were shut out in order in the sixth and seventh inning giving Megan Carrier her 24th pitching win of the season, striking out 8 while giving up no walks.
From Pawnee, Coach Short brought his squad home for senior night festivities and a match up with the Meeker bulldogs Tuesday evening, September 19. With emotions running high, once again the tigers found themselves in a defensive dual as Carrier while striking out seven relied heavily on her stingy tiger defense to chase the bulldogs away with a tough 3 to 2 Cushing win. Cushing scored all the runs they would need in their half of the first inning with key hitting by speedster Naomi McCoy, slugger Marci Wiley and Carrier helping her own cause scoring the final run for the tigers on Michelle Hubbard’s fielder’s choice. The tigers then held on for the hard fought win. With “senior night” festivities following the game, the team and their fans showed their appreciation and honored Cushing’s six seniors, catcher Marci Wiley, infielder Michelle Hubbard, pitcher Deja Wilson, outfielder Becky McCoy, utility player Naomi McCoy, and outfielder Carly Deaton. A group whose leadership next year’s tigers will miss and have to replace.
Cushing closed out it’s regular season on September 22, with a road trip to challenge the Blackwell maroons. The tigers scored with their first at bat and in each of the following innings to end the game by run rule 10 to 1.
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