Lady Tigers must win two games at Districts on Thursday to advance

September 25, 2012

Lady Tigers pitcher Macy Pritchard is likely to pitch against Woodward at Districts Thursday. Pritchard is not nearly as angry as she looks in this picture as she releases a pitch to a Texhoma batter on Sept. 11. The freshman struck out 12 batters that night. Staff file photo/John Plestina

Two wins over Woodward Thursday are mandatory. Anything less would end the season for the Lady Tigers.
Guymon goes to Class 4A softball districts at Woodward High School Thursday with Woodward as the sole opponent, playing the best two out of three for a trip to Regionals.
The Lady Tigers struggled in August and the first week of September. After that rough start, Guymon began to win games. The Lady Tigers won eight of 10 games before a pair of losses to Arnett and Woodward in Woodward Monday night.
“We have to beat Woodward twice or they have to beat us twice in order to go on,” said Guymon head coach Wesley Bryson.
On Monday, Arnett came from behind and beat Guymon 8-5 after the Lady Tigers had extended a 4-0 lead. In the second game, Woodward blanked Guymon 12-0 in three innings.
Bryson said the Lady Tigers were not hitting in the Woodward game.
“I’ve been saying it all season. They’re young,” he said.
Fresh-men and sophomores make up much of the Guymon varsity team, with a few juniors.
Most of the players are 14 and 15 years old and lack the experience of playing at the high school level that the 16-to-18-year-old players they often play against have.
Freshmen Macy Pritchard and Shay Henry have earned starting spots.
Pritchard is the usual starting pitcher and pitched the distance in all four games at the Jones-McGuiness Tournament played at Jones and Bishop McGuiness high schools earlier this month. Guymon went 2-2 in the tournament facing larger schools. Pritchard recorded wins against Class 5A El Reno and Class 4A Star Spencer.
The 14-year-old has struck out eight-to-11 batters in several recent outings.
Henry, who also pitches and plays in the outfield, is a leading hitter on the team.
The infield is solid with sophomores Kennedy Melton and Lakin Winters and senior Monica Padilla at second, shortstop and third base. Sophomore Jahaira Marquez has done a good job at first base with senior Ashlyn Wadley unable to play due to an injury earlier in the season.
Padilla and Wadley are the only seniors on the team and Padilla is the only one who has seen significant playing time since Wadley’s injury.
College programs began looking at Wadley after her junior year. She is scheduled to sign a letter of intent Wednesday to play softball at Concordia University.
This is Guymon’s final season playing in Class 4A before moving up to a much tougher Class 5A.
Game times at Woodward on Thursday are 4 p.m., and 5:30 p.m., and 7 p.m., if that game is needed.