HYDRO — The Hydro-Eakly Lady Bobcats softball team advanced to regionals after winning three games Thursday.
Hydro-Eakly hosted the District Tournament. Hydro-Eakly faced Calumet and Okarche.
They defeated Calumet 13-1 Thursday morning in 3 innings. After Okarche beat Calumet 10-2, Hydro-Eakly defeated Okarche twice. In the first game, they won 9-4 and won 6-0 in the second game to win the tournament.
“I am excited about winning and I really think we can play with anyone,” coach Hannah Guthrie said. “Hopefully, we can get a good draw in regionals, but we are at the mercy of the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA).”
Hydro-Eakly 13, Calumet 1
With the bases loaded, Hydro attempted a triple steal and they executed it perfectly as Macey Buss scored from third base. After a passed ball, Kira Berkey scored from third base and Hydro was ahead 5-0 after the first inning.
Calumet scored a run in the top of the second, but Hydro answered with 4 runs in the bottom of the second. Kenzie Rodriquez hit a line drive into center field and Parker scored from second base.
Tessa York hit a sacrifice ground ball out and Rodriquez scored on the play. Macey Buss had a sacrifice bunt and Rees Berkey scored. Casady Sublett hit a ground ball into center field and Kira Berkey scored, giving Hydro a 9-1 advantage going into the third inning.
Hydro kept Calumet scoreless in the top of the third inning and Hydro scored 4 runs in the bottom of third. The game was called due to run rule.
Rodriquez hit a single into left field and Katey Buss scored. York hit a double into left field and Rodriquez and Kira Berkey each scored a run on the play. Kira Berkey hit a single and Jaysa Slagell scored, resulting in a Hydro-Eakly 13-1 win against Calumet.
“We hit really well,” Guthrie said. “Everybody in the lineup hit really well, not just in this game, but in all the games. We started off a little slow in the second Okarche game, but other than that, we came around and everybody hit well.”
Hydro-Eakly 9, Okarche 4
The Lady Bobcats scored 2 runs in the top of the first.
Rees Berkey hit a triple and Lotti Parker scored the first run of the game. York hit a single into left field and Rees Berkey scored.
Hydro scored 2 runs in the top of the second as well. Calumet
Katey Buss hit a sacrifice bunt and Kira Berkey scored. Parker hit a single and Sublett scored.
The Lady Bobcats extended the lead to 6-0 in the top of the third as Kira Berkey hit an inside the park home run and Slagell scored on the play.
Okarche scored 2 runs of its own in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Hydro responded in the top of the fifth with two more runs.
York hit a single into left field and Rees Berkey scored. Sublett grounded out, but Macey Buss scored on the play.
The sixth inning was quiet, but Hydro scored a run in the top of the seventh inning. Sublett hit a ground ball into left field and Kira Berkey scored.
Hydro was ahead 9-2 in the bottom of the seventh. With 2 outs, Okarche hit a 2-run home run and was down 9-4. Hydro got the third out and won the first of two games against Okarche.
“Defensively, we played awesome,” Guthrie said. “In the second Okarche game, we got a little sloppy and expected other people to make plays instead of somebody stepping up and getting it done, but we picked it up as the game went on.”
Hydro-Eakly 6, Okarche 0
Macey Buss pitched in this game and got a shutout. The Hydro offense was quiet until the top of the fourth inning.
“It was fun pitching a shutout,” Macey Buss said. “I just went out there and kept reminding myself this was my last game and went out there and pitched really well.”
York hit a double into center field and Rees Berkey scored the first run of the game. York scored from third base on a wild pitch.
Hydro matched its 2 runs scored in the top of the fourth by scoring two more runs in the top of the fifth. Rodriquez hit a single into center field and Slagell and Katey Buss both scored on the play.
Hydro scored its final 2 runs in the top of the seventh inning. Katey Buss hit a single into left field and Slagell scored. York hit a single into left field and Rodriquez scored.
Hydro got all three outs and Rodriquez made the game winning catch as she caught a slow line drive to send Okarche home and the Lady Bobcats advance to regionals.
“I am really happy we won today and cannot wait for regionals,” York said. “I really want to make it to the state tournament. We made good adjustments which is something we have struggled with in the past. Even though we got the shutout in the second game, we struggled on defense, which is something we need to fix before regionals next week.”
Macey Buss said she is happy for the team win, but there is still work to be done if they want to win regionals and advance to the state tournament.
“We did not play to our potential and will have to play better at regionals because we will see better teams,” Macey Buss said. “This was a wake-up call for us to get better and we cannot just relax.”
Guthrie said Hydro has played a tough schedule and is ready for any team, but a good week if practice is a must if they want to compete and win regionals.
“We have played a lot of games where we have had to fight and compete,” Guthrie said. “Any game like that helps prepare you for the postseason. We have gotten above that hump and know how to compete and win. This week as we prepare for regionals, I want to see great enthusiasm, motivation and desire to keep going in the postseason.”
The regional pairings have not been determined yet by the OSSAA as of press time Monday.