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Memories like this can last a lifetime.
“It’s undescribable [sic]; the feeling right now,” said Stoutland senior Breanna Sein.
A season full of incredible memories isn’t over yet for the Stoutland Lady Tigers.
With one final pitch in the state quarterfinal, Breanna sent her team to state for the first time ever.
“We had the goal set because it’s never been done before, and we thought it never could be done, but we stuck together, and we practiced and here we go,” Sein said.
Here they go, with 18 wins and a trip in the final four.
That makes these Lady Tigers the best softball team in Stoutland since 1999.
That’s a couple years before the current seniors were even born.
“We took a tour of the state championship trophies {in the school} and we wanted to make some room in there for us, so we’re super excited,” said Head Coach Rob Selander.
20 years later, ten seniors power the Stoutland roster. That means this state run is years in the making.
“We’ve been playing together ever since tee-ball and we’ve really bonded together, and we know how everybody plays. So whenever anybody makes a mistakes, we pick them up and we’re just family,” Sein said.
Leading the way is Breanna, who allowed just one run in each of the Tigers’ sectional and quarterfinal wins with 19 combined strikeouts.
She also tallied three hits, two runs batted in and two runs scored in the Tigers quarterfinal win.
“Bree has just been our solid, go-to player for the last three years, actually four years before I was even here. She is just one of those players that can carry a team,” Selander said.
While that might be true, Bree is quick to point out one detail.
“It’s not just me, I’m helping out my team,” Sein said. “It’s a team sport not a ‘me sport.’”
Now this team takes the next step, with a shot to play in a state title game.
“I said if we go to state, let’s just have some fun,” Selander said. “There’s no pressure, the win is just going there.”
“(When) we get there, we have fun but when we step on that field it’s game time,” Sein said.
Giving them another chance to win, and another chance to create lifelong memories.
The Lady Tigers play Canton on Friday in the state semifinals.
