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Tupelo, Asher to collide at state tournament

jeff cali, the ada news, okla.
·6 min read

Apr. 30—TUPELO — The Tupelo High School softball team will be looking to add another state championship trophy to their resumé when they compete in the Class B State Tournament Wednesday at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.

Standing immediately in the Lady Tigers' way is local foe Asher. The two area teams will collide at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in a first-round matchup.

Coach Dustin Romine's club, who won a state fastpitch championship last fall, enters the week ranked No. 4 and sporting a 22-13 record. The fifth-ranked Lady Indians are 30-7 this spring.

In a Class B Regional Tournament they hosted, Tupelo blanked No. 17 Carney 10-0 before pushing past No. 7 Whitesboro 10-5 in the title game.

"I can't say enough about how this group of ladies played (in the regional). They showed a lot of grit, want to, and try hard that we haven't shown much of this spring," Romines said in a social media post. " I was told by some very experienced coaches that they were just waiting on the playoffs and they'd 'flip the switch' and that they did."

Tupelo's last state slow-pitch softball state tournament appearance was in 2021. Ironically, in the 2013 state tournament, Asher topped Tupelo 16-6 in a quarterfinal matchup.

Asher had to do things the hard way at a Class B Regional Tournament in Caney. After defeating No. 13 Pittsburg 9-5 in a first-round matchup, No. 2 Caney clipped coach Tari Dubler's club 10-6 in the championship game.

However, Asher bounced Pittsburg 11-4 to claim the regional consolation championship to earn a trip to the state tournament. The Lady Indians' last state tournament appearance was in 2019. Asher was runner-up in 2017.

Tupelo 11, Carney 0

The Lady Tigers scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning and cruised to the four-inning victory. The game ended when junior Marley Crites slapped a walk-off, two-RBI double to cap a four-run Tupelo surge in the bottom of the fourth.

Tupelo piled up 12 total hits — including two hits each from the first five hitters in the THS lineup. Eight of those hits went for extra bases.

Lainee Wafford, Tupelo's leadoff hitter, finished 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored; Jaycee Stringer went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and three runs scored; Ava Sliger finished 2-for-3 with a home run, a double, two RBIs and three runs scored; Maci Gaylor finished 2-for-2 with a home run, a double, an intentional walk, two RBIs and two runs scored; and Crites went 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs.

Carney managed three hits in the game and was charged with three errors.

Tupelo 10, Whitesboro 5

The Lady Tigers scored three runs in the top of the second to erase an early 1-0 deficit. Tupelo then added four more runs in the top of the third to build a 7-1 advantage.

The Lady Bulldogs got within 7-4 after five innings but Tupelo got a three-run homer from Maci Gaylor in the top of the sixth to help secure the victory.

The Lady Tigers piled up 16 hits in the game, including three each from Rebecca Dailey, Lainee Wafford and Jaycee Stringer.

Dailey finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored; Wafford went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored; and Stringer ended up 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored.

Gaylor finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and Marley Crites went 2-for-3 with a double for the home team. Ava Sliger was intentionally walked four times.

Hannah Adams kept Whitesboro close, going 2-for-4 with two solo home runs. Linley Collins went 2-for-4 with a triple and a run scored for the Lady Bulldogs and Mallory Grogan finished 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Sarah James ended up 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored.

Whitesboro ended up winning the regional consolation championship and will join Tupelo and Asher at state with a 24-11 record.

Asher 11, Pittsburg 4

The game was tied at 4-4 before Asher scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth and tacked on five more in the sixth to take control.

Asher sophomore Cadence Leba clubbed two home runs and finished 3-for-3 with six RBIs, a walk and three runs scored in a 13-hit AHS attack. Magi Melton went 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored and Payton Leba finished 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.

Alexis Johnston went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and three runs scored for the Lady Indians.

Akosha Wiseman led a 10-hit Pittsburg offense, going 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Bobbie Caudill finished 2-for-3 with a double for the Lady Panthers.

Caney 10, Asher 6

Asher led 5-3 through four innings but Caney scored four runs in the top of the fifth and added three more in the sixth to overtake the Lady Indians.

Payton Leba led an 11-hit Asher offense, going 3-for-3 with a triple, a double and two runs scored. Sister Cadence Leba ended up 2-for-3 with a home run, a double, two RBIs and two runs scored for Asher Preslee Taylor also had two hits for Asher.

Cadence Leba has now smacked 11 home runs this spring.

Mac Wheeler, Leah Smith and Cheyenne Daniel hit back-to-back-to-back solo home runs for the host Lady Cougars in the bottom of the first inning to put Caney ahead 3-0.

Wheeler finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs; Smith went 1-for-2 with two walks, an RBI and three runs scored; and Daniel went 1-for-1 with three walks and three runs scored for Caney.

Hunter Alford paced a 14-hit CHS attack, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

Caney advanced to the state tournament with a 29-9 record.

Asher 9, Pittsburg 5

Asher led just 3-1 after five innings but scored six runs in the top of the sixth inning to get some breathing room.

Pittsburg attempted a comeback, scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth and seventh frames before the rally was cut short.

Cadence Leba led a 13-hit Asher offense, going 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Payton Leba went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs and Alexis Johnston ended up 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored.

Magi Melton and Sammie Williamson both added two hits each for Asher and Mackenzie Thompson hit a double.

Akiera Hawk blasted two home runs and finished 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored to lead the Pittsburg offense and Akosha Wiseman went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Gracie Barron also hit a double for the Lady Panthers, who finished their season at 13-19.