Tigers rout 'Dogs, earn first State berth since '06

Fort Scott sophomore Hannah Geneva pitches to an Independence batter during the third inning of Tuesday night's championship game at Don Hewett Field. Geneva allowed just 2 hits in four innings as the Tigers defeated the Bulldogs 16-0 to earn their first trip to State since 2006. (Scott Nuzum/Tribune)

After one inning, it appeared that there was going to be a pitcher's duel in the championship game of the Fort Scott Class 4A-Division I Regional Softball Tournament at Don Hewett Field Tuesday evening.

Yeah. Right.

Second-seeded Fort Scott (15-7) cranked out 11 hits in the next three innings as the Tigers went on to a 16-0 beatdown of No.1 seed Independence (17-5) in four innings, earning the program's fourth trip to a State Tournament and its first since 2006.

Kyenne Wade crosses home plate in the third inning of Tuesday's Class 4A-Division I Regional Championship Game at Don Hewett Field as Bailie Brown (10), Hannah Geneva and Katie Gorman (5) greet her. Brown and Gorman also scored on a play in which Wade got a hit and then was able to run all the way around the bases as Independence made errors on the play. (Scott Nuzum/Tribune)

Timely hitting was an issue even in Monday's semifinal win over Chanute. But Fort Scott head coach Alvin Metcalf, an assistant coach for Karen Curran when the Tigers won State in 2005 and finished third in 2006, came up with an idea to get the bats going.

"We got down here a little earlier today," Metcalf said. "And I told them we were going through the lineups twice. I threw fast, I threw slow and I told the ladies we were going to stay back. In the first inning, we were out there in front of the ball a little bit. But they adjusted quickly and started teeing off."

Hannah Geneva (3-1) made just her fourth pitching appearance of the season, coming back from an injury just last week. But she allowed just 2 hits, didn't walk anyone and struck out 6. Independence had just four baserunners -- two reached on errors.

"She's been working really hard for six weeks to get there," Metcalf said of Geneva. "And you can tell she wants to be out there. Tonight, we let her bat but her pitching is what we're wanting and she threw one of her better games. And I think she's still only about 90 percent."

The Tigers saw all nine batters in their order bat in each of the last three innings, with Delane Gray leading off in each one.

Taylor Krokroskia hit a double off the base of the left-field fence with one out in the top of the second inning -- as the higher seed, the Tigers had to bat first. Karlee Stanley followed wit a single and got to second on an errant throw by the left fielder. Then Bailie Brown got on base with a ball that landed just in front of a rushing-in shortstop, which loaded the bases for Abby Denton. She hit a ground-ball single to left that Indy's left fielder misplayed into a bases-clearing play that put the Tigers ahead 4-0.

"A lot of people think it's crazy having (Denton) batting down in the bottom half of the lineup," Metcalf said. "But she's one of the best sticks on the team and that's why I have her down there. It gives us three lefties (with Katie Gorman and Riley Brown) in a row. All three can slap, all three can hit for power, and all three have speed."

The scoring continued after Gorman hit a single to left and scored on Brown's double to make it 5-0.

Fort Scott chased off Indy starting pitcher Bayley Allison during the third inning. Gray led thing off with a single to right. Krokroskia hit a line drive back off the middle that ticked off Allison's glove into center field. Stanley grounded to third but a wild throw allowed both Gray and Krokroskia to score. That was the end of the night for Allison in the circle but it wasn't any better for her replacement, Lauren Rinck.

Stanley moved to third on a wild pitch. Then Bailie Brown drew a walk and stole second. A passed ball allowed Stanley to score. Gorman drew a one-out walk and stole second. Wade put the ball in play and B. Brown scored. Gorman took third and Wade moved toward second. Independence's catcher threw wildly to second and as the ball rolled in the outfield, both Gorman and Wade scored, making it 11-0.

Gray led off the fourth with a double to left. Krokroskia drew a walk. Stanley reached on an error by the third baseman. B. Brown grounded to second, scoring Gray. A bad throw to home alowed Krokroskia to score on the play as well. Denton drew a walk. Gorman singled to right, scoring Stanley and B. Brown. A fielder's choice allowed Denton to come in, making it 16-0.

With the 15-after-three version of the run rule about to bring their season to an end, the Bulldogs tried to get something going in the bottom of the fourth. Geneva struck out the first two batters of the inning. Then Bailey James got a single. Kallie Smith pinch ran and stole second. But Geneva struck out Amanda Freeman to end the game.

Gorman, Wade, Gray and Krokroskia each had 2 hits for the Tigers, who beat a Southeast Kansas League opponent for the 27th consecutive time. It was the Tigers' sixth shutout of the season, the others tossed by Wade (12-5). It was also their second-biggest win of the season. They beat Coffeyville 18-0 in the first game of a doubleheader on April 28.

Although Kansas Class 4A is split into two divisions for softball as of this season, the Division I State Tournament remains in Salina, where it will be held May 29-30. Other qualifiers so far are Augusta, Kansas City-Piper, McPherson, Rose Hill and Louisburg, which upset previously unbeaten Paola, 3-0, in Tuesday's Regional final at Spring Hill.

(4) Labette County 15, (5) Coffeyville 0

(2) Fort Scott 8, (3) Chanute 5

(1) Independence 9, (4) Labette County 8

x -- Did not bat.

(2) Fort Scott.... 056 5xx x -- 16 10 2

(1) Independence....... 000 0xx x -- 0 2 6

E -- Gray, B.Brown; Day 2, Wright 2, Freeman, James.

LOB -- Fort Scott 3, Independence 4. 2B -- Krokroskia, Gray. SB -- B.Brown, Gorman, Chapman, S.Marquez, Smith.

Allison pitched to 3 batters in the third.

WP -- Rinck. PB -- Freeman.