Stroud’s Lady Tigers had no margin for error on Friday.
To win the regional tournament and advance to state, they had to win three games in a row, including back-to-back games against Oklahoma Union, the team that beat them 7-4 on Thursday and sent them to the loser’s bracket.
So, that’s exactly what they did.
They beat Preston 6-4 and Oklahoma Union 8-7 and 7-4, and now they take the field at Firelake in Shawnee on Thursday to face two-time defending state champion Dale at 1 p.m. on Field 4.
“This was by far one of the guttiest performances by a group in my 17 years of coaching,” said Lady Tigers coach Lezli Robinson. “It all started with Alyssa on the mound. She gave us all she had for 21 innings and we had her back as a team, both offensively and defensively.
“Every kid gave us everything they had and we competed and that’s all I have ever asked of them.”
The Lady Tigers’ regional started with a 12-1 win over Preston on Thursday, but Oklahoma Union put up three runs in the bottom of the sixth to beat them 7-4 in the winners’ bracket game.
They were back on the field at noon on Friday, coming from behind to beat Preston 6-4, thanks to a three-run sixth inning keyed by Kenlee Parrick’s two-run base hit.
Following that, it was a rematch with Oklahoma Union.
Emma David led the way with three hits and three runs batted in and Stroud won 8-7.
Then in the winner-take-all finals, Alyssa DeLeon had a double, a homer and four RBI and threw a seven-hitter to lead Stroud to a 7-4 and a berth in the state tournament, the Lady Tigers’ first appearance since 2012.
“As far as the challenge it was a total team effort,” Robinson said. “We were down in game one Friday to Preston and Terra Mitchell stepped up at the plate to get us going and we found a way to plate two runs and win that one, which, in a situation like ours is sometimes the hardest one to win.
“Game one and two on Friday with Oklahoma Union were a war. Game one was back and forth with solid defensive plays backed with timely hits.
“Kailea Coleman had a diving play in foul territory as first base to end the game which was huge.
“Not only did it end the game, it also didn’t allow their lead off to come to the plate.
“Offensively we had timely key hits by Janay Cline, Alyssa DeLeon, Emma Davis and Macey Morris.”
On Thursday, the Lady Tigers will face perennial power Dale, which has won the last two state championships and has been in the last six state championship games.
“We are super excited,” Robinson said. “We are gonna keep our fork because the best is yet to come.”