Tigers allow one run in winning tourney

Katie Gorman (5) and Taylor Krokroskia give each other a high five after scoring both runs of the semifinal of the Fort Scott Tournament Tuesday afternoon. The Tigers defeated Ottawa 2-0 and went on to beat Spring Hill 2-1 in eight innings to win the championship game. (Scott Nuzum/Tribune)

Fort Scott High's softball team needed just 4 runs to win its home tournament for the first time since the 2013 season Tuesday night at Don Hewett Field.

Fort Scott avenged its last two tourney losses in taking the title. The Tigers defeated Ottawa 2-0 in the semifinal round, avenging a 22-4 first-round loss last season. FSHS then beat Spring Hill 2-1 in eight innings in the title game. The Broncos defeated Fort Scott in the 2014 championship game.

"I wish we would have got a lot more hits than what we got," Fort Scott head coach Sean Krokroskia said following his first two victories as the Tigers' head coach. "I'm a big offensive guy and like to score a lot of runs. Our defense was rock solid and our pitching was great. We gave up one run in 15 innings, so I'm excited about that."

The win in game one was also the 300th for the program, which was established in 1990. As of this moment, the softball team has an all-time record of 301-235. Krokroskia is just the program's fourth head coach.

Sophomore Lane Bohlken pitched the distance in both games. The lone run she allowed on the day was unearned. She gave up a total of just 6 hits and 3 walks in 15 innings.

"I typically call the pitches. I've always done that," Krokroskia said, "But Abby Denton is a senior catcher and they've been working well together and I let Abby call pitches. Lane had (batters) on their front foot. Fastballs were getting by them. It was a great job of pitching. I can't be more happy with that."

Both of the Tigers' runs versus Ottawa (1-3) scored in the bottom of the third inning. Katie Gorman singled with 2 out and then stole second. Taylor Krokroskia then hit a line drive to center field. By the time the Cyclones got the ball back in, both runners had scored.

While Ottawa had two runners on the both the first and second innings, it was with 2 out both times. The Cyclones had 2 on with one out in the bottom of the fifth but the Tigers got out of it with a fielder's choice and a strikeout.

Hannah Turner got a leadoff single for Ottawa in the seventh but she never got past first base. A groundout to first, a strike out and a pop-up to Bohlken ended the game.

Bohlken allowed 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 3. Gorman had 2 hits of the Tigers' 4 hits.

Spring Hill defeated Blue Valley West, 5-0, in the other semifinal in the south field. The Broncos were the home team in the championship game.

Spring Hill (1-1) had the first real scoring threat in game two, getting a runner to third with 2 out. But a grounder to second baseman Bailie Brown ended that chance.

Emily Hale got to third with 2 out in the top of the fourth but was stranded. Spring Hill had 2 runners on with one out in the bottom of that inning but was thwarted by a Tiger double play.

Shannon Stovall grounded back to Bohlken, who looked the runner at third, Danielle Townley, back before throwing to first for the second out of the inning. First baseman Hannah Geneva got the ball back to Denton in time to get Townley out at the plate.

"I thought Lane could have run (Townley) back but she made her break back to third and then she threw to first," Krokoskia said. "And we were able to get the throw home in time."

Spring Hill got an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth. Allison Fabrizius doubled to left with one out. Stovall reached on an error, which allowed Fabrizius to score. Stovall later got to second on another error but was stranded on a groundout back to Bohlken.

Krokroskia told KOMB's Larry Gazaway that he told Hale she'd get a hit to lead off the top of the seventh. Then he would have her steal second and third for Geneva to bring home with a hit.

He was close. Hale singled up the middle and stole second. Geneva grounded out to second but that got Hale to third. She scored the tying run on Bailie Brown's double to left.

Spring Hill threatened again in the bottom of the seventh. Tyler Kiriakos was hit by a pitch leading off the inning. Pinch runner Chloe Roberts moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Elizabeth Hays reached base when there was not play for Gorman to take on a slow roller to shortstop.

However, Bohlken got Sarah Brown to pop up to B.Brown at second and Townley to fly out to Karlee Stanley in left to escape the inning.

Gorman led of fthe top of the eighth with an infield single, beating out the third baseman's throw. She stole second and advanced to third when the catcher's throw went into center field. Denton flared a double just behind third base to get Gorman home with what held up as the winning run.

Spring Hill went down in order on the bottom of the eighth.

Gorman again had 2 hits as she went 4 for 7 on the day. Bohlken didn't walk anyone and struck out 2 while allowing 3 hits.

Blue Valley West defeated Ottawa, 7-1, in the third-place game. Blue Valley West, a Class 6A school, replaced Baxter Springs in the tournament this year.

The Tigers will be at home again on Thursday as they take on Girard in a non-league doubleheader. Play is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.

Game One

Fort Scott........... 002 000 x -- 2 4 5

WP -- Bohlken (1-0). LP -- Deandres.

HR -- none.

Game Two

Spring Hill.......... 000 001 00 -- 1 3 2

WP -- Bohlken (2-0). LP -- M.K. Hale.

HR -- none.