The Eufaula Lady Ironheads (17-2) defeated Warner 5-1 in game one on Saturday at the Eufaula Fast-Pitch Tournament. Freshman pitcher Leah Green had a huge day as she threw 12 strikeouts while only surrendering five hits and one run over seven innings with zero walks. Eufaula scored first on an error in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.
Addison Upton of Warner hit a single that helped tie the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Another Warner error helped Eufaula put another run on the board to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth. Neither team scored in the sixth but the Lady Ironheads came alive in the seventh inning scoring three runs to seal the 5-1 victory.
Senior Jadence Efurd hit a home run to center field that scored two runs and an error scored a run. Efurd led Eufaula at the plate going 1-for-4 with 2 RBIs and a homerun, Leah Green, Emma Lovett, Maddie Ballard each went 1-for-4, Jana Hickman 1-for-3, Kate Pippenger 1-for-4 with two runs scored and Hannah Needham 1-for-2.
In game two Saturday, Little Axe edged Eufaula 1-0 for the tournament championship. It was a defensive battle as both teams played well with both pitchers giving it their best. Eufaula pitcher Leah Green recorded 18 outs. She went six innings, giving up one run on three hits, striking out five and only walking two.
Kristine Moore earned the win for the Little Axe Indians. She surrendered two hits and zero runs over seven innings, striking out three and walking two. Hannah Needham and Kate Pippenger led the Lady Ironheads at the plate. Needham went 1-for-2 and Pippenger went 1-for-3.
On Friday, Eufaula fell to Little Axe 5-3. Green pitched four innings, giving up five runs on four hits, striking out seven and walking six. Green went 1-for-3 with an RBI, Pippenger 2-for-3 with an RBI, Rayleigh Peterson 1-for-1 and Jana Hickman 1-for-2 with an RBI.
In Thursday’s action, Eufaula shut out Okemah 12-0 and defeated Hartshorne 2-1. Jadence Efurd drove in four runs against Okemah.
Leah Green earned the win from the pitcher’s circle as she surrendered two hits and zero runs over five innings, striking out seven.
Green hit a double going 2-for-4, Efurd 3-for-4 with 4 RBIs, Maddie Ballard 1-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and Jana Hickman went 1-for-3 with a n RBI.
In game two against Hartshorne, Hannah Needham singled in the bottom of the fifth, giving Eufaula a 2-1 lead. Kadie Jo Tidwell hit a fielder’s Choice in the fourth inning that helped the Lady Ironheads tie the game.
Green allowed one hit and one run over five innings, striking out seven and walking one. Pippenger, Green, Needham and Lovett each collected one hit for the Lady Ironheads.
“We played six games this week and finished 2nd in our tournament with a 1-0 loss to Little Axe in the finals after beating a tough pitcher from Warner in the semifinals 5-1. We had some close games this week and our tournament was pretty competitive. Our overall effort and willingness to battle was good this week, we were just a couple hits here and there from winning those two close games we lost,” Eufaula head coach Ryan Green said.
