Hilldale's nine-run third inning ends Verdigris' season in regional final

Verdigris led 4-2 before host Hilldale scored nine runs in the third inning to win the Class 4A Regional 16 championship game 15-4 in five innings.

Host Hilldale scored nine runs in the third inning to turn a two-run deficit into a runaway Saturday, beating Verdigris 15-4 in five innings in the Class 4A Regional 16 championship round in Muskogee. The defeat ended the Lady Cardinals' season at 23-6 and left them one victory short of the area tournament. Hilldale, now 24-5, took the regional title.

Verdigris looked capable of forcing an if-necessary game, building a 3-0 lead in the top of the first on Rilyn Stringfellow's RBI triple, a Taber Ennis sacrifice fly and Shay Melson's run-scoring single. Hilldale answered with two runs before Erin Gray's groundout made it 4-2 in the second. The third inning decided the regional: the Lady Hornets scored nine times on four hits, highlighted by Avary Gardner's two-run single, to move in front 11-4. A one-hour rain delay during the inning provided no reset for Verdigris, and Hilldale added four more runs to close out the win.

Stringfellow, a senior, was charged with 15 runs, 13 earned, on 12 hits over 4 2/3 innings, striking out three and walking nine. Hilldale's Kaylee Smith limited Verdigris to six hits and four runs over five innings with six strikeouts. Stringfellow and Sydney Lewis had two hits apiece, and the Lady Cardinals stole seven bases.

The trip to Muskogee traced back to one late stumble. Verdigris had led District 4A-7 for nearly the whole season and needed a win over Grove on Sept. 22 to wrap up the championship. Instead, the Lady Cardinals lost 12-2, creating a three-way tie with Grove and Oologah that district points broke in Grove's favor while dropping Verdigris to third, a finish that cost the team a home regional. Four of Verdigris' six losses came in its final six games.

Verdigris opened the two-day regional Friday with a 3-0 win over Sallisaw behind a five-hit shutout from Stringfellow, who struck out 10 and walked one. Paisley Martindale's RBI double in the second gave her the only run she needed, and Ennis drove in a run with a sacrifice bunt in the third. Martindale, Stringfellow and Ennis each finished with one RBI, Gray and Jefferson collected two hits apiece, and the defense committed no errors.

A winners' bracket game against Hilldale later Friday was decided by a single unearned run. An error set up the first-inning chance, and Payton Zodrow's groundout brought home what proved to be the only run of the game. Stringfellow gave up three hits over seven innings, struck out seven, walked three and did not allow an earned run, but Kaylee Smith countered with a two-hit shutout, striking out four and walking three. Gray and Ennis had the only Verdigris hits in the 1-0 final.

Sent to the loser's bracket, Verdigris kept its season alive earlier Saturday with a 12-3 win over Sallisaw. Stringfellow allowed six hits in a complete game, giving up three runs with eight strikeouts and two walks, and went 3-for-4 at the plate. Olivia Young's two-run single put Verdigris in front in the second, and Hadlee Jefferson's sacrifice bunt doubled the lead to 4-0 in the third. After Channing Wilson hit a three-run homer for Sallisaw in the sixth, Verdigris added three runs in the seventh on Sydney Lewis' RBI groundout and Stringfellow's two-run homer to left.

Verdigris totaled 14 hits in the win, with Stringfellow and Jefferson getting three apiece. Jefferson and Melson drove in three runs each, and Gray went 2-for-2 while drawing three of the team's seven walks.

For the regional, Stringfellow pitched every inning of all four Verdigris games, 26 in all, and struck out 28. In three of those games, against Sallisaw twice and Hilldale once, she allowed four runs, three earned, across 21 innings. She finished 6-for-13 at the plate for the tournament with a home run and a triple.