Elgin, Cache launch fast-pitch title bids today

Lawton-area fast-pitch softball powers Elgin and Cache will launch their bids for State titles today at Firecreek Softball Complex in Shawnee.

The Owls are the No. 4 seed in Class 5A and will face No. 5 seed Pryor today at 6:30 on Firelake Field No. 2. The top seed is Piedmont which opens the schedule at 11 a.m. against Durant. At 1:30 p.m. No. 3 Guthrie battles No,. 6 Tahlequah and at 4 p.m. No. 2 seed Carl Albert faces Coweta.

Cache hits the field at 4 p.m. as the No. 8-ranked team and will face Newcastle on Field 1. Also on that side of the bracket are No. 2-ranked North Rock Creek and No. 10-ranked Weatherford at 6:30.

The top half of the bracket has top-ranked Tuttle facing No. 13 Blanchard at 11 a.m. and No. 5 Purcell going against No. 6 Poteau at 1:30 p.m.

The great news is that both the Owls and Bulldogs are loaded with young talent. Elgin has one senior, Kelly Langford who celebrated Senior Night with her first home run of the season.

Elgin’s battery has been strong all season with Kamber Crow in the circle and slugger Kynli Garrett behind the plate. Garrett is the daughter of head coach Levi Garrett and is already one of the state’s top catchers and she’s just a freshman.

Cache has put together a strong run with solid pitching from Kadielynn Fisher, a strong defense and a balanced attack at the plate. In its best-of-3 series with Verdigris the Bulldogs lost the opener but came back to win the next two games. Payton Nunley had a big 2-run homer to help rally the Bulldogs in the second game and the defense saved a huge effort in the final game.