Lady Indians' softball season ends at regional tournament

The Comanche softball team made it to the regional tournament final on Friday, where they fell to host Heritage Hall, 7-0, in the championship game.

It put a cap on a 10-24 season for Comanche, who improved on their overall record from the previous season.

“I’m very proud of them,” said Kaytlin Morrow, head coach. “From the first of the season to the last three weeks, it is a completely different team. They started doing the little things you need to do to win.”

The Lady Indians started off the tournament, falling to cross-county rival Marlow, 3-2, but bounced back on Friday to take a 5-2 win, eliminating the Lady Outlaws and earning a spot in the tournament final against undefeated Heritage Hall (24-0).

“Losing that first game was disappointing, but it gave them some motivation to come out and fight on the second day,,” Morrow said. “They showed a lot of grit and worked well together. And if they did make a mistake, they would be able to come back from it.”

The loss wrapped up Morrow’s first year as head coach.

“It went really well,” Morrow said. “I learned a lot and grew as a coach. The season went really fast, but I’m very happy. It was very rewarding.

Comanche led most of the way, but Marlow scored late to steal the win.

The Lady Indians led 2-0 after the top of the third before the Lady Outlaws got on the scoreboard. 

Comanche got six hits in the game and all the Lady Indians’ runs were unearned 

Cassidy Smith and Bre Gill doubled in the game. Cianna O’Connor had half the hits for the Lady Indians, going 3-for-3. Rylee Pipkin had the other hit for Comanche.

Cloey Kinkade took the loss on the mound. She threw six innings, surrendered one earned run on eight hits. She struck out six and walked one.

Determined not to let Marlow send them home from the tournament, Comanche instead sent the Lady Outlaws back to Stephens County. 

Trailing 2-1 going into the bottom of the third, Comanche scored two runs on back-to-back RBI singles by Bre Gill and Cianna O’Connor. It was a great tournament for O’Connor, who went 2-for-4 against Marlow on the second day to make her 5-of-7.

Comanche would not trail again. 

The Lady Outlaws added some insurance runs in the fifth and sixth innings. O’Connor scored on a wild pitch in the fifth and Bre Gill picked up an RBI single that scored Raelee Ellis.

The Lady Indians were limited to two hits and committed six errors. Savannah Kelnhofer and Rylee Pipkin had the hits for Comanche.

The Lady Chargers scored three runs in the second, one in the third and three in the fourth to get the win.

Cloey Kinkade was the losing pitcher. She gave up two earned runs on five hits in six innings of work.