Oklahoma HS fastpitch softball: Southmoore, Piedmont, Newcastle win Class 6A-4A titles

The Class 6A-4A Oklahoma high school fastpitch softball state championships were held on Saturday at Marita Hynes Field in Norman. Here are recaps from each game.

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Class 6A: Southmoore 2, Edmond Memorial 1

Karissa Reddout envisioned how this at-bat would go.

The sophomore’s original plan was to just hit a fly out to wherever she could. Yet, she anxiously approached the plate and crushed a single down the first base line to send Ryen Bullock home to score.

Shortly after, Reddout turned to the SaberCats crowd with a sigh of relief — fully realizing what she had just done. Her title-clinching walk-off had won Southmoore their third state championship in four years as the SaberCats beat Edmond Memorial 2-1.

“In situations like those this year, it’s always been my go-to to get a fly out to right field,” Reddout said. “This time I actually just hit a ground ball and I was thinking to myself like ‘Okay cool, we did it’.”

The game was scoreless for the first three innings before a double from Brylee Fanning drove in Kayla Stover to score from second. Edmond Memorial would tie the game in the next inning after a Sydnee Seat single brought in Hattie Bishop to score.

Stout efforts in the circle from both teams kept the game knotted up at one.

For Reddout, winning her first state championship with the SaberCats was fulfilling, but doing so with her family and friends cheering on made the win even sweeter.

“This moment means more to me than I ever could imagine,” Reddout said. “Now I’ll finally have my name on a plaque — meaning I’m officially a part of Southmoore history. I love how this program makes me feel famous whenever I look out into the stands. More than anything, it means a lot to see my grandparents on their feet cheering for me. Everything I do is to make them proud.”

Despite going undefeated in postseason play, Southmoore’s season wasn’t always smooth sailing.

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The SaberCats’ season started rough as they only won five of their first 14 games heading into district play. However, they seemed to catch a rhythm at the start of September — finishing 19-3 to end the regular season heading into postseason play.

Southmoore head coach Jason Lingo says he and the team always believed that the SaberCats would make a deep run.

“We have a whole lot of kids here that love softball, love to work and love to listen to become better,” Lingo said. “They sacrificed a lot and made the adjustments to be where we are at this very moment. It's just incredible to see what they've done while believing in each other and not panicking at any step of the way.”

Southmoore lost to Edmond Memorial in the state title game a year ago.

“Three hundred and sixty-five days ago, I sat in the parking lot of the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex. It dawned on me then that for the first time in 500 days, we weren't the state champion. I hated that feeling and that's what led us back here. So luckily for 364 more days, we get to hold that moniker one more time.”

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Class 5A: Piedmont 3, Guthrie 2

Peyton Gray stepped to the plate without fear.

With one out and runners on second and third base, she had her sights solely set on the outfield grass. Seconds later, Gray made good on her hopes — crushing a line drive past Guthrie third baseman Saylor Hamilton to bring in Taybor Moss and Tylar Short to score.

Despite the heat of the moment, Gray stood tall and remained unfazed by the pressure.

“I’ve never been more calm than I was in an at-bat in this tournament,” Gray said. “I knew I needed to step up and the confidence we were playing with at the time helped me lean into the moment. Seeing all we did to come back leading up to that final play, I knew we would pull it through.”

Gray’s walk-off single secured the Wildcats’ 3-2 win over Guthrie. They've won third consecutive Class 5A state championships and fourth titles in the last five years.

Piedmont trailed Guthrie by a run early following an RBI single from catcher Abbie Eichler in the first inning. The Lady Jays later added to their total after a Kinley Duehning home run in the fifth extended their lead to 2-0.

However, the Wildcats had more fight left in the tank.

Piedmont infielder Ashlyn Emmert’s sacrifice fly-out brought in Cameron Kimball to score, which closed their deficit to one. Then a sacrifice fly by pitcher Peyten Schibbelhute advanced Moss and Short to second and third base, setting up Gray’s single.

“To be honest, It still doesn't feel real to me,” Schibbelhute said. “I knew we’d be really good this year and have a chance to do it again, but to actually be here and be a part of a three-peat is unreal. This run has been special.”

The win marks history for the Wildcats, as they are the first team in Class 5A to ever win three consecutive state fastpitch titles. They finished the season with a 39-3 record — one shy of their 40-win season a year ago.

Piedmont head coach Keith Coleman was admittedly nervous but knew all along his team would pull out the victory.

“In environments like the state tournament, anything can happen,” Coleman said. “We thrive to be in these moments every year and no one in this program shies away from tough challenges. We have a bunch of kids and parents that buy into our program and this is what happens when you have that kind of support — you have this kind of success.”

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Class 4A: Newcastle 4, Purcell 0

For Mike Crossley, this year was all about getting back on track.

The 36-year Racers head coach had missed the Class 4A postseason tournament for the last three seasons following their state championship title in 2019. However, Newcastle's newfound success in 2023 hasn't been due to circumstance — it was meant to be.

"We had some terrible luck in the playoffs recently and they have deserved to play in this environment for the last few years," Crossley said. "We knew coming in that it was our time to shine and do something special. I couldn't be more proud of our girls for doing that."

Third-ranked Newcastle secured its third-ever fastpitch state championship in their 4-0 win over No. 5 Purcell on Saturday.

The Racers dominated at the plate early on, scoring all four of their runs in the first two innings. Catcher Lilyana Portillo got things started in the first inning with a single to center field that brought in Madelyn Torrenueva for their first score. Later in the second inning, singles from Torrenueva, Brooklyn Lyles and Lexie Lovelace batted in three additional runs on consecutive at-bats despite being up two outs.

In the most important sequence of the game, the Racers delivered.

"I don't ever think of myself when I go to the plate," Portillo said. "I go knowing that I'm going to make a play for my friends, my coaches and the seniors on the team. We have a lot of great hitters, so there was never a doubt in my mind that we were going to go home with the win."

The Racers finish the year going 34-4, a school best in the last 10 seasons. The win for Newcastle marks Crossley's 28th tournament appearance in his 36-year tenure as head coach. In his eyes, their four-year postseason drought makes his third state title even sweeter.

"Being here is awesome, and I'm truly blessed we have a group of hard-working girls that sought out being in this moment," Crossley said. "All summer we knew we had a good chance to make it here with the group we had coming back. The feeling of winning state just never gets old — it's something I wish could feel forever."

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma HS softball: Classes 6A-4A state championship roundup