For the second consecutive season, the #7 (2A) West Fork softball team has advanced to the Class 2A State Tournament. Brooke Rother homered to left in the bottom of the eighth inning, and the Warhawks defeated Central Springs 3-2 in extra innings in Monday’s 2A Region 8 Final, as aired on 104.9 KLMJ.
In a defensive shootout, Central Springs got on the board first when they scored on a passed ball in the first inning. Brylee Dickman doubled to drive in a run in the second inning for a 1-1 tie, and two scoreless innings followed. After stranding the bases loaded in the third, JoAnna Wallace doubled to drive in Preslee Dickman for a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning. However, it was quickly answered in the next half inning when Sharli Fessler doubled to drive in a Panther run. After being hit in the hand by a pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning, West Fork pitcher Libby Trewin played through the pain in the top of the eighth. Two passed balls allowed Central Springs to advance the go-ahead baserunner to third, but Trewin recorded her 14th strikeout to retire the side. On the very next pitch, Warhawk sophomore Brooke Rother became the hero.
It was Rother’s team-leading ninth home run of the season, and lifted the Warhawks to the state tournament.
“I’m friends with like all the Central Springs girls and Sharli was behind the plate, and she goes ‘if you hit anywhere on this bat and it don’t go over, you’re losing,'” Rother says. “I got out there and as soon as I heard it pop, I was like oh I gotta go, I didn’t think it was gonna go over, but I’m just glad it did. It felt like a good swing, especially striking out earlier in the game, made me feel good.”
Senior Preslee Dickman says the teams were well-prepared for each other in the third meeting.
“They knew how Libby was, we knew how their pitcher was, and they had a very good defense tonight,” Dickman says. “And I think they wanted it pretty bad, I think any team would at that point. And our energy was really high coming off the top of the eighth, and we really were really excited. And we knew she could do it, and wouldn’t have picked anybody else to be there at that point.”
Head Coach Sadie Winfrey on finishing the game in the eighth inning.
“I was pretty worried, the top of their lineup, Mcdonough is a very strong hitter, and she was tonight,” Winfrey says. There top four are strong batters. We were able to keep composed and get out of that. I’m so proud of our lineup, being able to do their job, regardless of where we’re at.”
Along with her 14 strikeouts, Trewin gave up five hits and issued one walk. Offensively, Trewin, Preslee Dickman and Brylee Dickman each had two hits.
The Warhawks are the #5-seed, and will take on #4-seed Durant in a first round game on Tuesday, July 22 at 12:45 p.m. All West Fork state tournament games will air on 104.9 KLMJ.
