OKLAHOMA CITY – Even after six consecutive state championships for fall and spring, Caddo softball head coach Dustin McKay wasn’t ready to take anything for granted in the Class A fastpitch state finals last weekend at Devon Park.
And the top-ranked Lady Bruins stuck to business emphatically with another stellar tournament run that culminated with a 10-1 blitzing of nearby rival Tushka in Saturday’s title tilt to close out a phenomenal 28-game winning streak.
Caddo blasted 11th ranked Ripley, 14-4, in round one and dispatched fourth-rated Arapaho (6-1) before taking down the secondranked Lady Tigers in the finale for their fourth consecutive fastpitch title and seventh overall (including slow pitch) while finishing with a 35-2 record.
“This is just a special bunch that loves to compete and doesn’t want to settle for anything less than being the best,” head coach Dustin McKay commented. “It’s been pretty unreal, and the coaches talked about how we may not ever do this again. We won 28 games in a row and ended up batting .410 as a team, which is unbelievable with the schedule we play. The biggest key to our success is playing good people day in and day out.”
In the opening win over Ripley, Caddo countered an early run by the Lady Warriors before eventually erupting with eight tallies in the third inning to take complete command.
The explosive frame all pretty much came with two outs with Jordyn Nichols’ double scoring Lyndee Harless with the go-ahead run. Brylee Daniel singled home another tally and Kayden Cowan smacked a triple that plated a pair. Logan Busby reached on an error and a walk brought Jaycie Nichols to the plate for a two-run double with Harless contributing a RBI single of her own.
Cowan tripled for the second time in the game and Busby doubled before Jaycie Nichols doubled again to finish the flurry and make it 13-1. Presley Beck added the final run in the fifth with a leadoff home run over the centerfield fence for the walk off.
Rylan Peevyhouse notched the first of three tournament pitching wins, yielding one run on five hits and struck out five in four and twothird innings.
Things were a little tighter in the semifinals as the Lady Bruins spot- ted the visitor another early tally but responded with two in the second and one run in each of the next four innings as they made the most of seven hits.
Jaycie Nichols notched a triple with Cowan and Daniel chipping in doubles.
Peevyhouse went the distance in the pitching circle, allowing one run on five hits and fanned eight.
For the third straight game in the finale, Caddo surrendered a first inning run but quickly answered when Jaycie Nichols led off the bottom of the frame with a solo home run.
The Lady Bruins pushed across two more runs in the third, four in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth pounding out 13 hits for the game.
Jaycie Nichols blasted another homer as part of her three hits and teamleading four batted in. Harless had a big game at the plate as did Busby as each tossed in three hits and drove in one apiece. Peevyhouse posted a double with singles from Beck, Jordyn Nichols, Peevyhouse and Kayden Prince.
“I don’t think it could get any bigger for these seniors,” McKay added. “Rylan threw it really well all three days. Jaycie Nichols had just an unbelievable tournament along with Jordyn. We got behind against a really good arm in the finals, but Jaycie immediately hit a homer to tie it and set the tone. If Jaycie goes, we go.
“We expected close games but when those girls see something within grasp, they get it done. We made great adjustments at the plate throughout. I was happy Lyndee Harless got a chance to win a title. Pretty much everyone else had been part of a championship so it was special for her. She came in and did a really good job for us.”
The Lady Bruin sixplayer senior class will now look toward rare waters and a possible eighth state championship in eight appearances if they can win a fourth straight slow pitch title in May. Davenport was the last school to accomplish that feat in 2004.
