No. 19 Dragons 4-3

Purcell’s slow-pitch softball team is off to a 4-3 start and are ranked No. 19.

Last week the Dragons lost at home to Byng 21-16.

“It was such a good game,” head coach Sarah Jones said. “For it being our first game with everyone there and hitting as well as we did, I was impressed.

“They had five home runs and one was a grand slam,” Jones continued. “You never want to lose but I would say we fought hard.”

In game one of the Lexington tournament Jones said her team was in slow motion against Riverside.

The Dragons still managed to win 10-3.

“We won but didn’t hit well and didn’t have a lot of energy,” the coach said.

Sandra Del Toro went 3-4 and Logan McKiddy went 3-3 while Khia Tyler, Kinley Croslin, Chelsea Spain, Addie Stanton, Kyleigh Smedley and Gracie Harris had two hits each.

The lack of intensity carried over to a 4-0 loss at the hands of Blanchard, Jones said.

“We couldn’t get a clutch hit to save our life,” Jones said. “We left the bases loaded at least three times.”

Purcell stranded a total of 17 base runners in the Blanchard game alone.

“That can’t happen,” the coach confirmed.

The third game of the tournament was a 10-2 victory over Healdton.

“They out-hit us but we came up with hits with runners in scoring position. That’s how we won that game,” the coach said. “It was a good win after a loss.”

Spain was 2-2 in that game and Tyler went 2-3 to lead the offense.

With a 12 hit attack, Purcell blanked Maud 7-0.

Del Toro led the offense going a perfect 3-3 at the plate including a triple and an RBI. Tyler and Croslin both were 2-3. Tyler laced a triple in the game and Croslin had a double and an RBI.

Jones also got hits from Spain, Missy Nimsey, Smedley, Stanton and Kaylee Evans.

“We were getting tired but they pushed through,” Jones said. “I was super proud of them.”

With rumors flying about no games on Friday the Dragons’ plan was to play back through the loser’s bracket.

The victory set up the fifth game of the day against Lindsay with Purcell persevering 11-5.

Tyler, who was the only multiple hitter, went 2-3 with an RBI.

Harris, Stanton, Hannah Buchanan and Spain all had a hit.

“We played the first game of the day and in the last at 8:45 p.m.,” Jones said. “With the possibility of it being the last game of the season, we showed a lot of heart. Just the emotions of our seniors having our last game was hard.

“We came out with a win and it was a good one,” Jones concluded.

With the ruling by the Oklahoma State Board of Education all games have been cancelled to at least April 6.