In a nail-biting showdown, the Idabel Lady Warriors came back from a four-run deficit over the Eufaula Lady Ironheads, 10-7, on Tuesday at the Class 5A District Tournament at Stigler. Eufaula ends the season with a 15-11 record.
Eufaula came out swinging, lighting up the scoreboard in the first inning. Kate Pippenger started the momentum with an RBI single, followed by Amya Whitfield’s fielder’s choice that brought in another run. Then Hannah Beaver delivered a clutch single to drive in two more, giving the Ironheads an early advantage.
But Idabel wouldn’t stay down for long. A costly Eufaula error in the fourth opened the door, and the Lady Warriors pounced, tying the game 5-5 and igniting the crowd.
The Ironheads answered in the fifth with a sacrifice fly from Kadie Jo Tidwell and an RBI single from Raci Summerlin to retake the lead, 7-5. The bottom of the inning belonged to Idabel. With a fury of six hits, including a booming double from number ten that plated two critical runs, the Lady Warriors exploded for five runs, flipping the game and taking a 10-7 lead that they would never relinquish.
Makayla Harjo battled through the circle for Eufaula, tossing six gritty innings despite giving up 14 hits and 10 runs (seven earned). On the other side, Amya Whitfield was a wall for Idabel, going the distance and allowing just two earned runs on nine hits, without issuing a single walk or strikeout.
Offensively, both teams put on a hitting clinic. Eufaula racked up 10 hits, with standout performances from Summerlin (3-for-3), Pippenger (2-for-4), and Beaver (2 RBIs).
But Idabel’s bats were electric, amassing 14 total hits. Alexa Schultz, Mireya Gonzalez, and Kagann Bryant each had three hits, while Schultz and Kristin Jefferson combined for four RBIs. Mercades Lopez showed patience at the plate, drawing three of the team’s six walks.
Both teams flashed leather with a double play apiece, but it was the relentless hitting and resilience of the Idabel Lady Warriors that sealed the comeback win and capped off their season with a bang.
Eufaula started the tournament with an 11-9 win over Idabel in game one in the Class 5A District Championship. Raci Summerlin drove in five runs on two hits for the Lady Ironheads who collected 17 hits.
In game two, the Lady Ironheads fell to Stigler 13-3. Eufaula struggled at the plate. Rayleigh Peterson and Makayla Harjo each collected two hits for the Lady Ironheads.
“The girls played super hard on Tuesday. Effort, attitude, and toughness is something we try to hang our hat on. As long as that is the basis of what we do, we can be proud. The district was competitive with three pretty equal teams. If we’d have had a few hits fall at the right time and a few key plays go our way, the outcome could’ve definitely flipped in our favor. Sometimes in sports, things just don’t roll your way and we understand that. I’m super proud of our girls and their competitiveness on Tuesday and the entire season,” Eufaula head coach Ryan Green said.
