The Okarche Lady Warriors softball season ended Thursday after a second loss to Laverne in the district tournament in one day.
And they lost on the final play of the game.
The game was tied at nine in the bottom of the seventh when Avrie Black of Laverne singled, scoring a run for Laverne.
Okarche was able to notch a win over Laverne and force the third game. Okarche won 7-6.
In both losses, the Lady Warriors battled tough and kept the game close, but fell in the end. Laverne won the second game 10-9 and scored two late runs in a 5-3 win in the first game.
In the first game with Laverne, trailing by two runs in their second game of the Class A district tournament Thursday at Garber, the Okarche Lady Warriors tied the game 3-3 in the third inning.
But it was not enough to hold on as the Laverne Tigers pulled ahead in the seventh inning 5-3.
Brittani Darst got the call to pitch against Laverne. She gave up a two-run homer and a double. Then with the bases loaded in the top of the second inning, Coach Skye Tilley pulled her for Madison Nance. Nance pitched the first game in a win over Garber.
Nance struck the first two batters she faced. Then with the bases still loaded a ground out by Jill Glazier to Hannah Carnott ended the inning for Laverne.
Okarche got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first when Callie Cramer was hit by a pitch and Katie Parham singled. Danielle Darst hit a ground ball and Cramer was thrown out at third but Parham scored.
Danielle Darst singled to right field and Nance followed with a single. A Kylie Harper single in the bottom of the third drove in Anna Shirey to tie the game.
Laverne’s bats broke through in the top of the seventh inning and two runs scored. Okarche went down on a double play to end the bottom of the seventh with no runs.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Scout Payne got to first on a bunt and Harper White singled to left field. With Payne at third and White at second Callie Cramer 0-3 at the plate, ground out.
Okarche v. Garber
Okarche took an early lead in the first game of the district tournament Thursday at Garber, and despite two weather delays, won handily, 10-2.
The Lady Warriors, 17-10 overall, faced the home squad for the first game of the Class A district tournament.
Madison Nance, who opened the game on the mound, homered to left field in the bottom of the third inning.
In the bottom of the first, Callie Cramer singled and Katie Parham doubled on an error, sending Cramer home. Darst singled on a ground ball to right field and Parham scored the second Okarche run.
In the bottom of the third inning the game was delayed by weather.
When play resumed, Nance hit a fly ball to left field that cleared the fence for a home run and Danielle Darst scored.
One last regular season softball win
To start the week, the Lady Warriors defeated Calumet 15-2 in a game played at home Monday, Sept. 18, 2023.
The offense came alive that day, but only after dropping a 7-2 game to Ripley in the first game of a two-game day.
Here are photos from the team’s Monday, Sept. 18, 2023 win over Calumet from Okarche High School yearbook staffers Jade Jackson and Kera Avilez.
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