Washington finished as State slow-pitch runners-up at USA Hall of Fame Stadium April 30.

It was the second year in a row the Warriors have claimed second at State.

They lost to Tecumseh, 9-6, in the finals after defeating Idabel and Cache.

“We had two good games at the first,” said head coach Tylor Lampkin. “We struggled in the finals a little but overall it was a good tournament.”

Idabel

They got the party started with a 12-0 win over the Warriors of Idabel.

Daphne Palumbo doubled in the second inning and scored Reese Schrader to put Washington on the board.

Washington put up four runs in the third inning thanks in part to a pair of doubles by Julie Hoehner and Emjay Lucas.

Washington then sealed the win with a six-run fifth inning.

The Warriors played strong defense in the game, which ensured the shutout.

“We didn’t make many mistakes in the first two games,” Lampkin said. “We played really good defense.”

Cache

Washington defeated Cache 11-3 in the semi-final game.

The game was tied at three runs apiece until the Warriors scored four runs in each the third and fourth innings.

Ava Salcedo and Schrader both homered in the game.

Schrader had four RBIs in the game.

Shelbie Caveness doubled and Olivia Palumbo and Hoehner had two doubles each.

“To beat them in the semis was a really good deal for us after they beat us earlier this year,” Lampkin said. “Coach (Miles) Smith does such a good job with them.”

Tecumseh

After tying the game at three all in the bottom of the fourth inning, senior Bailey Hyde blew the game open with a three-run homer and Washington took a  6-3 lead.

“It was really, really awesome when Bailey hit that home run,” Lampkin said.

The game was still tied at 6-3 heading into the sixth inning when Tecumseh got into a rhythm of hitting the ball to where the Warriors just weren’t.

Tecumseh scored six runs in the inning and Washington wasn’t able to put any runs on the board.

“They just got hot,” Lampkin said. “They were moving runners base to base and not really doing anything special. They were hitting it where we weren’t.”

The Warriors had a final chance in the seventh inning but a great play on the part of the Savage’s defense ended any come-back story.

It was Washington’s third loss to the Savages this season.

“It felt like they had our number in the finals,” Lampkin said. “They are such a gritty team and coach (Perry) Wilson is a great guy.”

Washington ended the season with a 33-7 record.

“No one expected us to finish where we did and it’s just a testament to our girls for what they were able to do.”

The Warriors graduate four seniors from the team – Alexis Gay, Halle Andrews, Hyde and Lucas.

“Those four played in three fast-pitch championships and three slow-pitch championships and won three of them,” Lampkin said. “Just to get to play in six championships is absurd. All four of them had really good seasons. They stayed the course and trusted the process.”

Notes

Halle Andrews, Alexis Gay and Emjay Lucas were selected to the All-State team.