By Blake Colston
Sports Editor
Piedmont has earned the right to defend its state title.
Payten Schibbelhute pitched a complete game shutout while scattering two hits and the Lady Wildcats used their patented small ball attack to do just enough offensively to get past Lawton Eisenhower 3-0 in the regional title game Thursday afternoon at Piedmont High School.
“To get to the state tournament, you have to win the regional,” head coach Keith Coleman said. “So we’re excited about this.”
The Lady ‘Cats’ celebration after their 3-0 win in the regional championship game was relatively subdued, though, as they took a necessary step toward a larger goal of a second consecutive state title.
“We don’t talk about not celebrating or anything like that, I just think our kids expect to win and expect to make the state tournament. We want to save the dog pile for the state tournament,” Coleman said.
Piedmont will open the state tournament as the top seed next Thursday in Oklahoma City against an opponent still to be determined, possibly Duncan or Durant.
On Thursday, it was all about Schibbelhute. She quieted the Eagles’ bats to notch Piedmont’s third consecutive postseason shutout. The Lady Wildcats’ offense couldn’t pull away from Ike, but Schibbelhute never showed any cracks while lowering her team-leading ERA.
“That’s who she is. She always makes you feel comfortable and confident,” Coleman said of Schibbelhute. “She’s just unwavering. She knows what she’s supposed to do…she’s just tough.”
PHS (36-3) grabbed an early 1-0 lead then played station-to-station softball in the fifth inning to extend its lead to 3-0. Karissa Fiegener led off with an infield hit and stole second. After Fiegener advanced to third base, Taybor Moss brought her home on a ground ball.
Later in the frame, Paige Atha’s well-executed squeeze bunt scored another insurance run. That proved to be more than enough for Schibbelhute, who returned to the lineup after rehabbing a nagging injury late in the regular season and appeared to be 100%.
The junior ace induced a flyout in the sixth inning to end Eisenhower’s best shot at a rally after the Eagles (18-22) put runners on first and second with two outs. Schibbelhute retired the side in order in the seventh to seal the victory.
PHS on Wednesday opened the regional tournament with a 13-0 win over fourth-seeded Santa Fe South then run-ruled No. 2 seed Eisenhower 15-0.
Coleman said Piedmont will try to schedule a game Monday to get one last tune-up before the state tournament.
