Play at the plate ends Lady 'Cats' season
MOWRYSTOWN — A final out called at the plate closed the books on the very successful season of the Whiteoak Lady Wildcats, as they lost in the Division IV SE District Sectional Final, 1-0 to the Clay Lady Panthers.
Whiteoak trailed by one run as the bottom of the seventh inning began, and that's when the pressure was put on strong by the host Lady Wildcats, starting with a lead-off walk by Ashleigh Harless.
Harless was later forced out at second on a fielder's choice, but that allowed Jaycee Parr to take first base. Kiley Sosby was then intentionally walked for the fourth time in the game, putting runners on first and second with one out.
Sosby ends her junior season with a team-high batting average of .576 with 21 RBIs and eight home runs.
Alexis Jones took advantage of an outfield error by the Lady Panthers, with the ball popping out of the glove of the left fielder, and loaded the bases for the Lady 'Cats.
Following the second out of the inning via strikeout, the Lady 'Cats were down to their final out. WHS then hit the ball into the infield, with the runner from third racing home. As Parr slid to home, the throw by Clay reached catcher Jessica Moore milliseconds before Parr reached home, with Moore extending for the catch, her toe just on the plate, for the final out of the game.
"It is hard to lose this way," WHS head coach Trisha Hauke said. "We have suffered a lot of injuries recently, and we had to learn how to play as a group quickly. Doing something like that is hard on the girls to adjust.
"Again, it was a hard way to lose this game, but hopefully next year will be different."
The game that came down to just one final moment was full of small ball and strategic moves by each team.
The lone run was scored in the top of the fourth. Sosby, the WHS pitcher, began the inning with a called third strike. From there, a bunt ended with a second out.
But Clay was able to have a two-out rally with Danielle Cline doubling to left field. As Ally Freeman came in as a courtesy runner for Cline, Rachel Cooper doubled to centerfield, scoring Freeman for the only run of the game.
After that run, CHS had just one baserunner from the fifth through seventh innings.
Sosby retired the first six batters she face, with the first CHS baserunner coming in the top of the third off a hit-by-pitch. CHS didn't have any hits until the fourth inning doubles.
Both WHS hits were from Chelsea Chisman, who finished 2-for-4. Chisman's hits came in the second and sixth innings.
Drawing walks for the Lady 'Cats were Jayde Parr with one and Harless with two.
The winning pitcher was Cline. Cline went all six innings, allowing no runs on two hits and seven walks. She finished with 11 strikeouts.
Sosby was charged with the loss. In seven innings, she allowed one run on three hits and no walks. Sosby collected nine strikeouts.
WHS finishes the season with an overall record of 15-8 and a Southern Hills Athletic Conference mark of 10-3.
"The girls improved from previous seasons, and we had a lot of good freshmen step up this season," Trisha Hauke said.
The lone senior for WHS was Rikki Morris.