Lady Huskie summer league gets off and swinging at Foyil
FOYIL — Summer league softball action opened last week with the Pawhuska High School girls’ team recording an 11-0 triumph over Salina.
Coach Olivia Chronister’s Lady Huskies racked up nine hits in scoring two runs in the bottom of the first before adding five in the second and four more in the third. Tanaya Thomas and Breanna Redeagle combined for a three-hit shutout of the Lady Wildcats.
Sidney Sellers and Sarah Phillippi collected two hits apiece for Pawhuska, while Sellers and Darienne Frye each knocked in a pair of runs.
Leadoff hitter Keylee Kirk doubled to left field to get the Lady Huskie offense off and rolling in the first. Kirk then advanced to third on infield hit by Phillippi and scored on single to center by Mary Jo Upchurch. Later in the inning, Sellers drew one-out walk to load the bases and then Frye walked to force in the second PHS run.
Pawhuska’s five-run second also was started by Kirk, who led things off by getting hit with a pitch. Phillippi followed with her second single in a row and Upchurch was hit by a pitch to fill the bases. A single by Ashley Henley delivered the third Lady Huskie run and Sellers made it 4-0 with another RBI single.
Frye singled in another run to continue the PHS hit parade. Star Sweeden then forced home the sixth run when she drew her second consecutive base on balls. Following a steal of home by Sellers, Sweeden was driven in by Larisa Ingersol to cap the scoring with the Lady Huskies up by seven runs.
The Pawhuska girls tallied four more times in the home half of the third. Upchurch, Henley and Redeagle began the win-clinching rally by walking back-to-back-to-back. Upchurch came in on a bases-loaded infield single by Sellers and steals of home by Henley and courtesy runner Brittney Summers put Salina down by 10. A single to right by Ingersol plated Sellers to close out the game’s scoring.
PHS starter Thomas struck out two, walked none and surrendered a pair of hits in two innings work. She retired six in a row after surrendering a leadoff single. Redeagle closed out the victory by allowing Salina only one base runner in the final inning.
The Lady Huskies were “foyiled” in game two of their league-opening Tuesday doubleheader as the host Lady Panthers tallied one in the first, two in the second and three in the third en route to a 6-3 home victory. Pawhuska scored a run in each of the last three innings after going scoreless in the top of the first frame.
Kirk provided the highlight of the second contest for the Lady Huskies. The standout junior-to-be crushed home run over the left field fence leading off the third and drawing Pawhuska back within a run, at 3-2.
Foyil scored three big runs in the bottom of the third inning before another lone tally in the fourth closed the deficit to 6-3 for the Lady Huskies. Sweeden led off the PHS fourth with a single and moved up to second on a sacrifice by Kirk. After stealing third base, Sweeden came home on an RBI groundout by Redeagle.
Ingersol was left stranded after singling in the first for Pawhuska. In the second, Toni Horn was hit by a pitch and went on to score the initial Lady Huskie run on dropped third strike. Kirk’s solo blast in the third came with one out.
Henley and Frye handled the tough-luck pitching duties for PHS. Frye hurled one inning and Henley threw two. The Foyil attack kept steady pressure on the Lady Huskies by taking quality at-bats and manufacturing runs. At least two of the Lady Panther runs were unearned.
The Lady Huskies were rained out of their scheduled twin-bill Thursday at Chelsea. They were slated for two games Tuesday at Cleveland, with a rematch versus Salina to precede a showdown with the homestanding Lady Tigers.
On Thursday, the PHS girls are set for a return trip to Foyil where they will Dewey at 11 a.m. and the Lady Panthers in a noon contest. Danny Chronister is the assistant coach (as well as an excellent scorekeeper) for the Lady Huskies.
League games will continue on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the month of June. On the 17th, the Lady Huskies are to play at Chelsea, facing the host team at 9 a.m. and Nowata at 10. At Cleveland on the 19th, PHS is to go against Salina at 11 a.m. and Cleveland in a noon game.
Pawhuska finally gets to play host during the last week of the season. On Tuesday the 24th when they will meet Nowata in the 9 a.m. opener and then take on Foyil for the noon finale. Thursday, June 25, the Lady Huskies are to face Sperry at 9 and Foyil (again) at noon.
Other members of Pawhuska’s summer softball squad include Beth Horn, Erika Barker, Grayson Logan, Sierra Sellers, Lauren Garrett, Aubry Walker, Kyleigh Ruible, Logan Ratzlaff, Sadie Sellers, McKenna Martin and Hannah Horn.