By Chuck Reherman, Sports Editor – One step away.
Yukon is now within one step of returning to the class 6A state tournament after rolling to a pair of run-rule wins on the opening day of the class 6A Region III Tournament at the Millerette Softball Complex.
The Millerettes, 27-3-1, scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, capped by Bre Johnson’s walk-off home run, to beat Southmoore, 18-8, in the winners bracket final. YHS had beaten Putnam City West 12-0 in the opening game.
YHS will play in the 2 p.m. championship game against the winner of the Southmoore-Midwest City elimination game. That game will be played at noon. If the winner of the loser’s bracket game wins at 2 p.m. the teams will play again at 4 p.m.
Due to weather expected late Tuesday night, the games may be delayed, but could also be played earlier. YHS head coach Heather Shanahan the coaches will the field at 7 a.m. and decide on game times after that.
The Millerettes had taken control of the winners’ bracket final with Southmoore, leading 9-4 after two innings (keyed by Johnson’s first home run, a grand slam).
Southmoore did chip away at the lead and used a three-run home run in the fifth inning to highlight a five-run rally and make it a 12-8 game.
Yukon ended the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring all six runs with two out.
Anna Icenhower and Aleyah Holman both singled around a sacrifice bunt from Jayden Flowers, putting runners at first and second (the runner held up at second on Holman’s infield basehit). Rylee Uhr loaded the bases with a second infield single.
Southmoore, who had been avoiding pitching to Chyenne Factor all game, was forced to with the bases loaded. She answered with a two-out single that drove in two runs for a 14-8 lead.
Breley Webb followed with a double to drive in two more runners and a 16-8 lead. That sent Johnson to the plate and on an 0-1 pitch, she drilled a fastball over the left field wall to give YHS a 10-run lead and end the game.
Southmoore did take the initial lead in the top of the third inning (SMHS scored a run in each of the first three innings), but the Millerettes answered quickly.
Factor’s two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, gave YHS the lead for good. Hannah Hurtz had singled before Factor’s home run.
Johnson, who finished with seven runs batted in, doubled in a run one batter later and Icenhower doubled in two more runners to open a 5-1 lead.
Johnson’s slam in the second inning opened a 9-2 Millerette lead. Hurtz had singled and Factor and Webb walked before Johnson drove a first pitch fastball over the left field wall.
YHS made it an 11-3 game in the third when two runs scored when a flyball hit by Webb was dropped by the rightfielder. Hurtz singled in a run in the fourth to open a 12-3 lead.
Johnson went 3-for-5 at the plate with the seven RBIs. Hurtz went 4-for-5 and Icenhower was 3-for-4.
In the opening game, Yukon scored all 12 runs in the first inning, then pulled back and posted a 12-0 win over Putnam City West.
The Millerettes scored the first two runs on a West error, added three more on a bases loaded double by Ashlynn Bruce and led 7-0 after a single by Flowers.
Factor singled home two more runners and Bre Johnson capped the inning with a two RBI double.
