Jones likes the fire her team is showing

Purcell went 3-6 last week on the softball diamond.

Early in the week Mustang pinned an 18-3 loss on the Dragons followed by a 25-9 beat down by Wayne.

The Dragon split games last Tuesday losing 10-2 to Bethel but bouncing back to top Blanchard 9-6.

“In between games, Coach (Scott) Ward and I pulled the seniors aside and we had a long talk about having confidence in each other and having confidence in this team,” head coach Sarah Jones said.

“We created a lineup together they felt confident in and bought in to.

“They presented it to the girls and it changed the entire mood and culture of the team that night. I believe this was our turning point,” Jones confirmed.

Purcell hit up and down the lineup with Hannah Buchanan, Payci Constant and Brook Fleming all swatting a pair of hits.

Kinley Croslin, Savanna Edwards, Alie Holler-Willess, Kailynn Helton, Summer Thorneberry and Missy Nimsey all had a hit.

Fleming and Buchanan both sent balls out of the yard.

Buchanan led the RBI parade with three while Constant, Croslin, Evans, Fleming and Helton had two each.

Washington Tournament

Even though the Dragons lost to Valliant, coach Sarah Jones like the emotion displayed by her team.

The final score was 7-3 but a 10 minute delay to check bat stickers cost the Dragons dearly.

“This game still lights me up but there was so much growth,”Jones said.

“We were at a crucial point at the top of the 6th inning. We had runners on first and second with no outs.

Edwards’ sharp hit to third juiced the bases, still with no one out.

“Their coach called time out and asked to test the bat she used in the sixth inning,” Jones said. “She had already used the bat twice.

“It is the coaches’ responsibility to make sure that they all have stickers on them so I take full blame on this because I didn’t check on Friday.

“We had to go back and get new stickers on more bats from the stickers falling off,” Jones said.

The clock never stopped in the over 10-minute ordeal.

“If we had one more inning we would have won that game,” Jones said. “It was a fight from the very beginning and I loved seeing the emotion from the girls,” he said.

Purcell out-hit Valliant 10-2.

Buchanan led the way with two hits including a home run.

We had 10 hits to their 2. Buchanan had 2 hits with a home run. Croslin, Fleming and Edwards all had two hits.

Constant and Nimsey each had a hit. RBI’s came from Buchanan, Edwards  and Nimsey.

Croslin mashed a fly to deep in the outfield to score Kailynn Helton from third giving the Dragons a walk off 7-6 victory over Hobart.

Buchanan home run in the game and three RBIs.

Constant finished with a pair of hits and Jones got hits from Holler-Willess and Nimsey.

Both Constant and Holler-Willess had RBIs in the game.

Purcell edged No. 8 5A Cache 9-8 in a game that kept closer due to four Purcell errors.

Buchanan came up clutch with a walk-off hit to score courtesy runner Madison Veach from third.

Fleming homered in the game and led the team with five RBIs.

Buchanan was 3-4 with an RBI.

Thorneberry and Croslin had two hits apiece while Constant, Kelly Anderson and Helton each added a hit.

Purcell lost to Mangum 20-12.

“We hit the ball extremely well but couldn’t the clutch hit,” Jones said. 

“The difference was they hit with runners in scoring position.”

Buchanan and Fleming both had dingers in the game.

Edwards went 4-4 while Buchanan and Nimsey were both 3-3.

Buchanan and Fleming both had three RBIs in the game. Holler-Willess and Nimsey had two RBIs each while Throneberry and Helton each knocked in a run.

To start the tournament, Sulphur pinned a 23-7 loss on the Dragons.

Sulphur scored eight runs on five Purcell errors in the first inning.

Nimsey had a bases loaded round-tripper in the game giving her four RBIs.

Edwards, Buchanan, Nimsey and Croslin all had hits.

Dragon notes:

Kinley Croslin, Kelly Anderson and Madison Veach have been sharing time on the mound. This back week Croslin pitched the most. Croslin averages two walks per game and that is really good in slow pitch, coach Sarah Jones said.

Hannah Buchanan hit .655 this past week with five home runs. She has 16 on the season. 

Brook Fleming had three home runs this past week and seven on the season.

Plainview defeated the Dragons Monday, 17-3. Purcell will go to the Plainview Festival on Thursday.

The Dragons will be playing Districts at Sulphur April 22 starting at 3 p.m.