By Chuck Reherman
Sports Editor
Yukon’s Millerette softball team will pay tribute to a young Yukon student who lost his battle with cancer during YHS’ district 6A-2 game with Midwest City Thursday.
The Millerettes are hosting their annual pink out night with money initially going to help fund Gage Krupovage’s battle with cancer.
The 8-year-old Yukon student lost his battle with cancer on Sept. 1. The fundraising effort will now go to help the family pay for expenses.
Proceeds from the game, concessions and sales will go to the family.
The varsity game has been moved up to 4:30 p.m. due to impending rain moving into the area.
Following the game, the tribute to Gage will be held and the family will also attend the game and will be introduced. Gage’s grandfather John Krupovage, will throw out a pitch.
If the ran holds off, the junior varsity game will be played at 6:30 p.m.
The Millerettes will look to sweep their district series from the Lady Bombers and to bounce back from a Monday night loss to Westmoore. YHS will also travel to Norman on Friday to face the Lady Tigers in a district game beginning at 6:30 p.m.
The Millerettes were looking to move ahead of the Lady Jags, who had lost to Southmoore 6-3 late last week for their first district loss. Southmoore is 5-0 in district play and leads the 6A-2 race. The loss drops the Millerettes to third place with a 3-2 record.
The Millerettes did rally to take a 3-2 lead in the third inning. But, like the first meeting, Westmoore had one big inning that took control of the game. In the first meeting, it was the top of the seventh. Monday night it was the fourth inning.
The Lady Jaguars scored eight times in the bottom of the fourth inning to open a 10-3 lead, then turned away a pair of Millerette rallies in the fifth and sixth innings to seal the win.
Westmoore, down 3-2, had loaded the bases on singles from Kailey Gamble, Claira Skaggs and Aynslee Linduff. Emma Swearingen’s RBI single tied the game 3-3.
Emylie Rinehart’s ground out gave Westmoore a 4-3 lead and after a passed ball scored the fifth run, RBI singles from Ieesha Christian and Mattie Lee led the way to the 10-3 lead.
The Millerettes made it 10-5 in the fifth inning. Taylor McMahon had singled and scored on a double from Hannah Hurtz. A.J. Rayburn’s sacrifice fly plated Hurtz. But, the rally was ended there.
In the sixth inning, Maddie Montgomery’s one-out double got a rally started. She scored on Gigi Vandelune’s two-out single to make it 10-6, but again the rally was halted.
Westmoore added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning on Gamble’s two out scoring single.
The Millerettes did try to get a rally started in the seventh inning after Hurtz led off with a double. Makenna Johnson walked with two outs to keep the hope alive, but Westmoore pitcher Janelle Marwitz got the final out on a ground ball.
The Millerettes had rallied to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the third inning on Johnson’s RBI hit.
McMahon had singled with one out, Hurtz reached on an error and Ashlyn Bruce’s sacrifice fly made it a 2-1 game. Rayburn doubled to drive home the tying run and Johnson’s single gave YHS a 3-2 lead.
WHS took a 2-0 second inning lead on passed ball and ground out.
