By Blake Colston
Sports Editor
SHAWNEE – Payten Schibbelhute‘s postseason legend continues to grow.
The Piedmont pitcher put together another dominant outing at the state tournament, this time shutting out No. 8 seed Durant with a complete game three-hitter in the top-ranked Lady Wildcats’ 3-0 victory Thursday at The Ballfields at Firelake.
Schibbelhute is 10-0 in 10 career starts at the state tournament dating back to her sophomore year.
Piedmont, now winners in 24 straight games, provided all the run support Schibbelhute needed with a three-run rally in the top of the third inning.
Paislee Clark started the scoring with an RBI-double to right, and center fielder Tylar Short followed with a triple down the right field line that extended the Lady ‘Cats’ lead to 2-0. Peyton Gray tacked on another run with a two-out infield single.
The Lions (15-18) mounted their best scoring chance in the bottom half of the frame when they loaded the bases with two outs, but Schibbelhute induced a harmless ground ball to third to extinguish the potential rally.
Schibbelhute retired 12 of the next 14 Durant batters as the Lions failed to advance a runner beyond first base in their final four at-bats.
The game was played in just one hour and 19 minutes.
PHS is now just two victories away from winning its third consecutive state championship, something no large school program has done since Broken Arrow captured three straight tiles from 2001-2003.
The Lady Wildcats (37-3) on Friday will take on the winner of the Elgin-Pryor game scheduled tonight at 6:30 p.m. The semifinal contest is slated for 2:30 p.m.
