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By Don Eskins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Pandemonium broke out at the Class 1 District 4 softball final in Fordland on Thursday afternoon as the Crane Lady Pirates (11-10) celebrated a 5-3 upset victory over the top seeded and ninth ranked Plato Eagles (14-7).
“I’m so pumped,” said the Lady Pirate’s Lauren Akin. “I knew we could do it. We came to play today.”
Down 3-2 in the top of the seventh the Lady Pirates rallied to score three times to grab the victory, the 2021 C1D4 championship and a spot in this year’s state playoffs.
“Today’s win feels absolutely wonderful. Our kids have worked so hard this year,” said Pirate coach Mike Morelock. “You know they’ve battled up and down all season long so for them to come to Fordland today as the number two seed, and then pull off a win like this, shows just how big a heart these kids have. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
“I think our mindset was huge today. We knew we were the underdogs so we used that to our advantage,” said the Pirate’s Danielle Cutbirth. “We never gave up, played hard for seven innings and now we’re district champions.”
Crane jumped out in front of the Eagles early scoring twice in the top half of the opening frame of play. The Pirates collected just one hit in the inning, a single by catcher Danielle Cutbirth. Crossing the plate for the Lady Pirates were Cutbirth and shortstop Lauren Akin.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
But the Eagles countered to close the gap to just one with a run of their own in the bottom of the first as center-fielder Kaylee Copley scored on a single off the bat of catcher Brooklyn Atterberry.
Plato broke loose for two more runs in the bottom half of the fourth, on two hits, to grab a 3-2 lead. Scoring in the inning for the Eagles were right-fielder Cecilia Groves and Kaylee Copley. Copley tripled and shortstop Kara Copley doubled to lead the Eagle offensive assault.
The Eagles, after giving up two runs to Crane in the first inning, stymied the Lady Pirates’ offensive efforts throughout the following five frames of play. But as the seventh and final inning of play got underway the Lady Pirates luck was about to change.
Although collecting just one hit in the inning, a leadoff double off the bat of Crane first-baseman Addison Blair, the Lady Pirates scored three big runs in the inning to regain the lead at 5-3.
Scoring for the Pirates were pinch runner Malynn Moreland, right-fielder Perry Mease and Danielle Cutbirth.
Crane pitcher Aubree Chisam shut the door on any idea the Eagles may have had to rally in the bottom of the seventh. The hard throwing hurler retired three Plato batters in a row, two by strikeouts, to notch the win for Crane.
“After giving up those first two runs in the first inning we played really tough,” said Chisam. “As for me I just try to stay positive about things. Our defense was playing well and I felt that as long as we could keep it close we’d eventually come out on top.”
“Aubree is phenomenal and we have all the faith in the world in her,” said coach Morelock. “Regardless of the situation she never gets down, she just keeps pounding the strike zone for us and it most always pays off.”
Chisam, in picking up the win, allowed just four hits while striking out twelve and walking just three.
Although saddled with the loss Eagle hurler Kailey Garrett threw equally well giving up just four hits and two walks while striking out fifteen.
“Kailey has meant a lot to us this year,” said Plato head coach Wesley Shaw. “She’s just a really great pitcher and outstanding player.”
The 5-3 loss proved to be a difficult one for the Eagles.
“We were a bit nervous, made some mistakes early in the game and allowed them to get on the scoreboard first,” said Shaw. “But our girls battled back hard to regain the lead. We just didn’t finish it.”
“Our girls gave it their best shot though and I’m really proud of them for that,” he said. “It’s a tough way for us to have to end the year but the good news is that our kids are all juniors. They’ll get another shot at this next year.”
As the Class 1 District 4 winner Crane will now move on to the quarterfinal round of the state playoffs where they’ll take on District 3 Champion Advance High School (17-4) on May 12.
Box Score
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 F
Crane 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 5
Plato 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 3
Leading hitters:
Crane: 1. Addison Blair 2-3/2 2B/2 SB/1R; 2. Lauren Akin 1-2/3 SB/1R; 3.Danielle Cutbirth 1-3/2 SB/2R. 4. Perry Mease 1R
Plato: 1. Kaylee Copley 1-3/3B/2 SB/2R; 2. Cecilia Groves 1-1/3 SB/1R; 3. Kara Copley 1-3/1 DB/2 SB; 4. Brookly Atterberry 1-3/3 SB; 5. Hanna Cannon 2 SB;
