Friday and Saturday August 27 & 28, had the Cushing tigers once again invited to the prestigious annual softball Hall of Fame Classic in Oklahoma City. Cushing opened the show 9:30 Friday morning on Don Porter Field, when they squared off with the lady Redskins from McCloud. Sophomore Megan Carrier had pitching duties plus scored Cushing’s 2 runs as the tigers won the defensive struggle 2-1.
For Cushing’s second game of the day, in a 4:30 start, the tigers drew the 6th ranked 4-A longhorns of Lone Grove. The lady longhorn’s shortstop opened the game with a first pitch blast over center field fence to set the tone. Carrier got the start fanning 5 longhorn batters before giving way to senior Hosanna McCoy fanning 3 in her 2 innings of work, to close out the game. Cushing lost 7-0 in a game more competitive than the final indicates. The tiger’s lone scoring threat came in the 5th, when Hosanna McCoy opened with a double to the center field fence, moving to 3rd on Whitney Linder’s shot to right. Michelle Hubbard worked a base on balls which would have loaded the tiger bases, but a heads up play by the longhorn catcher, picked off McCoy on third. Niccum and Kennedy went down swinging to end the threat and the game. Saturday’s lone game for the tigers, Hosanna McCoy drew the difficult task of trying to shut down the big bats of the number 1 ranked Purcell Dragons. Cushing held the dragons thru 3 innings with solid defensive play, before allowing Purcell 5 unearned runs and the 7-1 time limit game.
This week’s softball action sees the Perry Maroons visiting tiger country Monday evening at 5pm, followed by a visit from the Seminole Chieftains Tuesday 5pm, before a trip to Inola closes out the week.
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