Oran advances to district title game

Friday, October 7, 2011
Oran runner Anna Jones safely steals second base as Delta shortstop Courtney Beggs fields the catcher's throw during Thursday's Class 1, District 1 semifinal game. (Photo by Brent Shipman, Staff)

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ORAN -- She hadn't pitched in over a week, but Oran's Morgan Todt came up big for the Lady Eagles in Thursday's Class 1, District 1 semifinal contest against the Delta Lady Bobcats.

Backed by a flawless performance from her defense, Todt allowed five hits and three walks while striking out three in seven innings as the Lady Eagles rolled to a 6-0 win.

"She had messed up her knee, but she's doing a lot better now," Oran coach Wade Sanders said of Todt. "She gets the ball over the plate and our defense can back her up and do a good job of it. That's all I could ask of her."

Though the Lady Bobcats were able to reach base in four of the seven innings, the Lady Eagles didn't allow a Delta runner to get past second base.

In both the fourth and fifth innings the Lady Bobcats opened the frame with runners on first and second with one out. Both times, however, a grounder to shortstop Taylor Nenninger allowed the Lady Eagles to get the force out at third, stalling Delta's drive.

Squashing other Delta scoring opportunities was an inning-ending double play in the first in both the first and third frames and the Lady Bobcats hitting into two straight grounders to strand a runner on first in the seventh.

"My defense is really good," Todt said. "They have my back so I just throw it over the plate and I can always depend on them."

Added Sanders, "We played close to incredible defensively. I don't think we made an error. When we play like that I think we can play with anybody. I'm just proud."

With Todt and the defense keeping the Lady Bobcats off the scoreboard, Oran was able to jump out to a two-run lead in the second frame and add to it in each trip to the plate.

After going down in order in the bottom of the first, Oran opened up the second frame with a single and a walk before a base hit by Allie Cummins cleared the bases to put the Lady Eagles up 2-0.

Starting the third off with singles, Jamie Kern was able to move into scoring position before a base hit by Molly McConnell brought her home. Scoring on a passed ball in the fourth and on a sacrifice in the fifth, the Lady Eagles took a 5-0 advantage into the sixth where another passed ball allowed Anna Jones to score to make up the final.

Combining for 10 hits, Oran got a three-hit performance from Nenninger, who scored two runs and stole a pair of bases. Cummins went 2 for 3 with two runs batted in while scoring a run.

For the Lady Bobcats, Rachel Birkman had two hits with Lyndsey Hamby, Tori Burton and Megan Perry each contributed a single.

"We just couldn't get that timely hit to get a run in," Delta coach Rebecca Cook said. "I think we had base runners every inning, but one or two so we did good getting on base, we just couldn't get them in today."

Though her team comes away with a loss, Cook added she was proud of her girls for fighting through injuries, some of which were suffered in a 4-1 upset over Van Buren the prior during tournament's opening round.

"We came out ready to play," she said. "Ceirra Coomer had an injury and she battled through it for most of the game. Hamby got beat up yesterday. She came out here and hurt her ankle then got hit in the head pretty hard yesterday, but she came out and battled for us. I'm very, very proud of the girls today."

With Naylor's 3-2 win over Neelyville on Thursday, this year's championship game will be a rematch of last year's in which Naylor held off Oran for an 8-3 win. They will play today at 4 p.m.

"They're the No. 1 seed and we expect to have our hands full," Sanders said of Naylor. "I expect the girls to come out and play like they did today with no errors and if we play like that and get beat, we've done our best and they're the better team.

"I think we have a shot, but they'll be tough to beat."

Added Todt, "I'm just ready to come out and play because we lost last year so I'm ready to come back and see what tomorrow brings us."

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