Vian Lady Wolverines go 3-1 in Big 8 Conference Tournament

TAHLEQUAH — The Vian Lady Wolverines got their first wins of the 2023 season Thursday and Friday in the two-day 2023 Big 8 Conference Tournament, which took place at Northeastern State University.

The Lady Wolverines knocked off county rival Central 12-2, then beat Keys (Park Hill) 13-3 and Westville 15-1. The lone loss during the tournament was an 8-2 setback to the Howe Lady Lions.

On the other hand, Central went through the event by losing all four games played. After losing to Vian, the Lady Tigers fell 5-4 to Howe, 8-7 to Keys (Park Hill) and 6-2 to Westville.

In Vian’s win over Central, the Lady Wolverines (3-3) scored seven runs in the first inning and three more in the second inning for a 10-0 lead.

Hanna Mattingly

For the game, Hanna Mattingly was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two runs batted in, LaKaila Drew was 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored, Skyelar Locust was 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and two RBIs, Rayleigh Terrill doubled with two RBIs and a run scored, Kala Gibbins doubled with a run scored and an RBI and Akeelah Truett doubled with two runs scored for Vian. Gibbins (2-2) got the win, striking out five batters in four innings and throwing a four-hitter. In defeat, Ayrland Jiles doubled with two RBIs, Cambree Bair doubled and Kallie Henning and Brianna Taylor each singled for the Lady Tigers (0-5). Jiles (0-5) took the loss.

In Vian’s victory over Keys (Park Hill), the Lady Wolverines broke a 3-all tie with a three-run fifth inning, a run in the sixth inning and a six-run seventh inning.

For the game, Mattingly was 3-for-4 with a triple, four RBIs and a run scored, Truett was 2-for-4 with a run scored, Maisie Wells was 2-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored and an RBI, Halli Russell was 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, three runs scored and an RBI, Rebel Simon doubled and scored once and Drew doubled, scored twice and had an RBI.

Gibbins got the victory, striking out four batters.

In Vian’s win over Westville, the Lady Wolverines jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening inning on an RBI groundout by Gibbins and a solo home run by Mattingly. After Westville cut its deficit to 2-1 after an inning, Vian put away the game with a 13-run second inning.

For the game, Locust was 3-for-3 with a double, a triple, an RBI and a run scored, Mattingly was 2-for-3 with a solo homer, a triple, three RBIs and three runs scored, Wells was 2-for-2 with three runs scored and two RBIs, Gibbins was 2-for-2 with two runs scored, Truett was 2-for-2 with a double, three RBIs and a run scored, Terrill was 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBIs and a run scored. Mattingly (1-0) got her first win of the season, getting six strikeouts and throwing a one-hitter.

In Vian’s loss to Howe, the Lady Lions rallied from a 2-1 third-inning deficit with a four-ruin third inning and a three-run fourth inning to get the win.

In defeat, Gibbins, Mattingly and Truett each singled for Vian. Drew (01) took the loss in relief. Gibbins went the first two innings, then Mattingly pitched the final inning after Drew pitched the third inning.

In Central’s loss to Howe, the Lady Tigers fell behind 5-0 by the fourth inning, but Central rallied with four runs in the sixth inning on an RBI double by Jiles, RBI singles by Keeley Poindexter and Henning and a wild pitch to cut Howe’s lead to 5-4. However, after Central’s turn at bat ended in the frame, the game was called due to the time limit.

In defeat, Jiles hit an RBI double and scored once, while Poindexter, Henning, Avery Warner and Allie Harris all singled. Jiles took the loss.

In Central’s loss to Keys (Park Hill), the Lady Cougars scored twice in their last at-bats to snatch away the victory from the jaws of defeat.

The Lady Tigers took a 7-6 lead in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI single by Avery Warner, scoring her sister Alyvia Warner, setting up Keys’ comeback win.

Things got started well for Central as the Lady Tigers scored five runs in the first inning, keyed by an RBI triple by Jiles, an RBI sacrifice bunt by Riley Rowland, a bases-loaded walk to Cheyenne Busch and a two-run single by Taylor for a 5-0 lead.

However, the Lady Cougars tied the game at 5-all with a two-run first inning and a three-run second inning.

Central regained the lead in the third inning on an RBI single by Busch, scoring Bair, for a 6-5 lead, only to see Keys (Park Hill) knot the game at 6 in the home half of the frame, setting up the dramatic fifth inning.

In defeat, Avery Warner was 2-for-3 with an RBI single and a run scored, Jiles hit an RBI triple and scored once and Bair tripled and scored twice for Central. Jiles took the loss, despite striking out four batters in 4.2 innings.

In Central’s loss to Westville, the Lady Yellowjackets scored three runs in the first inning and twice in the second inning for a 5-0 lead.

The Lady Tigers scored their two runs in the third inning on an RBI double by Taylor and an RBI groundout by Jiles to cut the deficit to 5-2, but they got no closer.

In defeat, Bair was 2-for-2 and Taylor was 2-for-2 with an RBI double and a run scored. Jiles suffered the loss, despite fanning four batters in four innings.