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No. 2 Sheldon softball uses defense to advance to OSAA 6A state quarterfinals

edith noriega, eugene register-guard
·3 min read

The No. 2 Sheldon softball team (26-3) isn't shy when it comes to scoring runs and making defensive plays.

The Irish gave their one-two punch to hold off No. 18 South Medford (14-13) 4-0 in the second round of the OSAA 6A softball state tournament on Wednesday afternoon.

"I'm very impressed with how our defense responded," Sheldon head coach Avery Morehead Hutsell said. "Obviously, when we're not scoring, we got to protect those runs that we do have."

Pitcher Payton Burnham led the Irish through seven innings of one-hit ball with 13 strikeouts. The senior tossed three hitless innings with eight strikeouts in Sheldon's first round 15-0 win over Franklin on Monday.

Sheldon right-handed pitcher Payton Burnham throws out a pitch as the Sheldon Irish defeated South Medford 4-0 in the second round of the OSAA 6A state softball tournament May 22 at Sheldon High School in Eugene.
Sheldon right-handed pitcher Payton Burnham throws out a pitch as the Sheldon Irish defeated South Medford 4-0 in the second round of the OSAA 6A state softball tournament May 22 at Sheldon High School in Eugene.

How Sheldon beat South Medford in OSAA 6A softball tournament

A pitcher's duel through the first three innings, the Irish got things started offensively on Kara Gebb's single in the bottom of the third inning.

On the next play, a sacrifice bunt by Savannah McKibben allowed pinch runner Lilian Geddis to score from third, giving the Irish a 1-0 lead.

Panthers' pitcher Nicole Ledendecker prevented a run from scoring on a ground ball hit to her which she then threw to home plate where Sheldon's Braelyn Stone was called out in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Irish held on to a 1-0 lead after third baseman Brooke Peterson tagged South Medford's Brianna Turrey out running to home plate in the top of the fifth inning.

Sheldon players celebrate a home run by Sheldon right-handed pitcher Payton Burnham as the Sheldon Irish defeated South Medford 4-0 in the second round of the OSAA 6A state softball tournament Wednesday May 22, 2024 at Sheldon High School in Eugene.
Sheldon players celebrate a home run by Sheldon right-handed pitcher Payton Burnham as the Sheldon Irish defeated South Medford 4-0 in the second round of the OSAA 6A state softball tournament Wednesday May 22, 2024 at Sheldon High School in Eugene.

Meanwhile, the Irish added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning on Peterson's RBI single to right field, allowing Jazmin Gallegos to score from second base.

The Irish added their final two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on a home run from Burnham, her second in the state playoffs. Avery Coffin then scored in the midst of a Panthers' double play.

The Irish ended the game on a 6-3-5 double play that started with Coffin at shortstop then to first baseman Ashlyn Martin and back to Peterson at third base.

"That grounder that's a slow roller, we talk on it a lot and I knew that I was going to get it and I told her," Coffin said. "So, we both went for it in the end, and I ended up getting it and making the throw. But we both booked it on the way back and Brooke got it to throw. She made an amazing diving play on that one."

Ledendecker allowed six hits, four walks in six innings pitched while striking out seven for South Medford. Turrey had the only hit for the Panthers.

Sheldon infielder Brooke Peterson dives to make a catch and tag out South Medford’s Kaycee Hudson to end the game as the Sheldon Irish defeated South Medford 4-0 in the second round of the OSAA 6A state softball tournament May 22 at Sheldon High School in Eugene.
Sheldon infielder Brooke Peterson dives to make a catch and tag out South Medford’s Kaycee Hudson to end the game as the Sheldon Irish defeated South Medford 4-0 in the second round of the OSAA 6A state softball tournament May 22 at Sheldon High School in Eugene.

What's next for Sheldon softball?

Sheldon will host No. 7 Sherwood (22-7) for the second time this season in the quarterfinals at 5 p.m. on Friday.

The Irish defeated the Bowmen 4-2 in a nonleague game on April 7.

"I want to see them go hard and compete," Morehead Hutsell said. "... I want them to keep that enthusiasm and that energy because as you get further and further, it gets more nerve wracking."

Edith Noriega is a sports reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at ENoriega@gannett.com and follow her on X at @Noriega_Edith.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Sheldon softball advances to OSAA 6A state quarterfinals