Lady Wolverines capture district title, qualify for regional tournament

PANAMA — The Vian Lady Wolverines won the Class 4A District Tournament on Thursday as they went through undefeated, opening up with a 9-8 win over Howe. After eliminating district-host Panama 11-0, the Lady Wolverines defeated Howe 11-8 in the district finals.

The Lady Wolverines (157) will advance to this week’s regional tournament, in which there will be two shots at making state as the regional champion and regional consolation champion advance, which took place Tuesday at Oktaha. The Lady Wolverines met regional-host Oktaha, followed by Henryetta meeting Latta. The two winners met in the regional championship game with the winner advancing to next week’s state tournament at Oklahoma City’s Hall of Fame Stadium. The two losers met in an elimination game, with that winner meeting the regional championship game loser, with that winner also advancing to state as the regional consolation champion.

In the first win over Howe, the Lady Wolverines broke a 7-all tie with a two-run sixth inning. The Lady Lions cut their deficit to 9-8 in the sixth inning but got no closer.

For the game, Rayleigh Terrill was 4-for-4 with a double and a run batted in, LaKaila Drew was 2-for-3 with a double, four RBIs and a run scored, Akeelah Truett was 2-for-2 with with a home run and three RBIs and Kaidence Roark was 2-for-4 with a run scored for Vian. Terrill (15-7) got the win.

In the victory over Panama, Terrill tossed a three-hitter.

A two-run first inning and a three-run second inning put Vian ahead 5-0 after two innings. A four-run sixth inning put the game into run-rule status.

For the contest, Eastern Oklahoma State College signee Maisie Wells was 3-for-3 with a double, a triple, four runs scored and two RBIs, Drew was 2-for-3 with a double, three runs scored and an RBI, Halli Russell was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, Truett was 2-for-2 with a homer and four RBIs and Eden Girty was 2-for-3 with two runs scored for Vian.

In the district-clinching win, after falling behind 2-1 after an inning, the Lady Wolverines scored four runs in the second inning and five runs in the fifth inning for a 10-2 lead. The Lady Lions scored five runs in the fifth inning to cut the deficit to 10-7 after five innings but got no closer.

For the game, Drew was 5-for-5 with a triple, an RBI and a run scored, Kala Gibbins was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored, Hanna Mattingly was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, Girty was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored and Russell doubled with three RBIs and a run scored for Vian. Terrill got the win.