MORAN — The Wildcats will go into Monday’s regional tournament with momentum after beating Oswego 7-6 in Moran on Wednesday afternoon.
“At the beginning of the year, we all struggled, but late in the year we are starting to make some plays,” Marmaton Valley coach Craig Richey said. “Today was a great day. Everybody stayed focused and we came out on top.”
The Indians were able to score six unearned runs in the second inning to grab a 6-2 advantage and things appeared to be headed downhill again for a Wildcat squad that had lost nine in a row going into Wednesday. But Richey’s team didn’t quit.
“It is really good to get that confidence going into regionals,” Wildcat sophomore Karlie Stephens said. “I just hope we can play like that again. We came back and got pepped up.”
The Wildcats chipped away with one run in the bottom of the second with Stephens hitting a two-out RBI single to right field.
Marmaton Valley was able to pull even with Oswego in the third inning with three runs.
Junior shortstop Isabelle Bigelow plated the two game-tying runs with a double to center field that brought third baseman Paige Becker and center fielder Clara Boyd in to score.
The Wildcats took the lead for good an inning later when after Makayla Brooks scored on a triple by Becker with one out in the fourth inning.
Working with the lead, Stephens continued the domination she had experienced over on the Indian offense since the second inning.
“She has been great,” Richey said. “She had a lot of spin and forced a lot of pop outs. She is really, really starting to throw better and she has a great mindset.”
From the third through the sixth inning, Stephens didn’t allow a hit to the Indians — let alone a run.
“I just had to throw some different pitches and move it around a little bit,” Stephens said. “It helped a lot that our outfielders and everyone was hustling. Our defense was just great.”
Richey was also impressed with the defensive effort.
“They are coming together,” Richey said. “We have all the girls in the right places and it seems to be working.”
The Indians were able to lead off the seventh inning with a single and stolen base, but Stephens and the Wildcat defense were able to buckle down and hold Oswego scoreless and secure the 7-6 victory.
Stephens finished the game with no earned runs on six hits with three walks and eight strikeouts.
