Eagles coming home after falling in first round

Friday, May 24, 2013
Uniontown's Mandie Ridge (34) is congratulated by Taylor Cooper after scoring for the Eagles in the fourth inning of Thursday's Class 2-1A State Softball Tournament game at Emporia. The Eagles fell 2-1 to the undefeated Bears.

EMPORIA -- Haley Felt's reaction to the final strike call of Thursday's Class 2-1A State Softball Tournament first-round game at Trusler Sports Complex here Thursday wasn't a shrug and a "That's the way things go" reaction.

It was one of passion. She wanted that outside call. She and her teammates wanted this game.

Uniontown's softball team came into this tournament a .500 team and decided underdogs against undefeated Oskaloosa. But Felt's reaction summed up the game for the Eagles.

Uniontown lost to Oskaloosa, 2-1. They came to play. And they gave their all.

"I think we definitely proved we belonged," Eagle head coach Paula Coyan said after the first State Tournament game in Uniontown softball history. "I feel we did a great job and I'm proud of the way the girls played tonight."

Oskaloosa's pitcher, Haidyn Bassett, was 18-0 with an 0.71 ERA coming into the tournament. She struck out the side in the top of the first inning. But she didn't have her way all night.

The Bears did score first. Bassett helped her own cause when she drove in Madison Miller with a single in the bottom of the first inning. But with 2 on and 1 out, the Eagles turned an inning-ending double play as second baseman Brit Stokes threw out Rachel Harding at first, then Jamie Dawson threw to catcher Emily Shinn, who tagged Brianna Brooks at the plate.

That was the sixth double play of the post season for the Eagles, who turned three in their own Regional championship game against Yates Center last Thursday.

Uniontown pitcher Taylor Wade also performed well. In the second inning, she struck out the side after allowing a leadoff single.

"We hoped she would throw them off with her slower speed," Coyan said of Ridge. "I think she did. They hit the ball some but we had the defense behind her."

Third baseman Mandie Ridge made several plays behind Wade, including all three outs in the bottom of the fourth.

"She did a great job at third," Coyan said. "She got some big plays for us."

Oskaloosa made it 2-0 in the bottom of the third on back-to-back 1-out doubles by Miller and Brooks.

Uniontown got its run in the top of the fourth. Ridge hit a flair single to short right with 1 out and scored on Shinn's double to center.

Felt led off the fifth with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on a wild pitch. But Bassett struck out the next two batters to end the inning and didn't allow another Uniontown baserunner. She finished the game with 12 strikeouts, allowing 5 hits and no walks.

Stokes, Ridge, Shinn, Felt, and Taylor Cooper each had 1 hit for Uniontown. Wade allowed 9 hits and 1 walk while striking out 4.

Miller went 3 for 3 for Oskaloosa. Brooks, Bassett and Megan Grother were each 2 for 3. None of the other five Bears in the batting order had a hit.

The Eagles finished their season with a mark of 10-11. Oskaloosa is 20-0 and goes on to play another undefeated team, Udall (22-0), in this morning's semifinals.


Uniontownabrhbi
Stokes, 2b3010
Coyan, ss3000
Dawson, 1b3000
Ridge, 3b3110
Hathaway, rf3000
Shinn, c3111
Cooper, dp3010
Felt, cf3010
Wade, p2000
x-Barltett, lf0000
Totals26151
Oskaloosaabrhbi
Willits, ss2000
Miller, 3b3230
Brooks, c3021
Bassett, p3021
Harding, 1b3000
Grother, 2b3020
Wright, cf3000
Lopez, lf2000
Coates, rf2000
Totals24292

x -- Did not bat; DP was batting for her.

Uniontown....... 000 100 0 -- 1 5 0

Oskaloosa........ 101 000 x -- 2 9 1

E -- Willits. DP -- Uniontown 1.

LOB -- Uniontown 4, Oskaloosa 7. 2B -- Shinn, Miller, Brooks. S -- Wade, Willlits, Coates.

Uniontowniphrerbbso
Wade (L. 6-8)692214
Oskaloosaiphrerbbso
Bassett (W. 19-0)7511012

WP -- Wade 2, Bassett.