Kinder cannot hold off late Mangham surge

SULPHUR- Even though Kinder took down top seeded Many in the state semi-finals, the Lady Yellow Jackets were unable to keep up the momentum a day later in the finals as they fell to Mangham.
The Lady Yellow Jackets came from behind twice to take a lead in the top of the seventh inning against Mangham, but the Lady Dragons rallied back and scored three runs with two out in the bottom of the inning to win 9-8.
“We thought we had the game won several times,” Pickle said. “It just wasn’t meant to be for the Lady Jackets.”
Mangham led 4-1 going into the top of the sixth inning. Nine hole hitter Asia Richard led off the frame with a single. Kinder then got doubles from Brooklyn Fontenot, Laura Gartman, and Chloe Oliver as three runners scored to tie the game. Gartman’s double drove in two of the runs with one out.
Mangham leadoff hitter Kara Welcher walked to begin the bottom of the inning but was retired on a play at the plate. However, the Lady Dragons still plated a pair of runs to retake the lead at 6-4.
Undaunted, Madison LaCour reached base on a single with one out in the top of the seventh. Richard was then hit by a pitch but was later thrown out at the plate.
After Richard singled, Kinder capitalized on two doubles, a fielder’s choice, and a two RBI single by Oliver to drive in four runs.
The bottom of the seventh inning began with Gartman hitting the leadoff batter Maddison Thomas with a pitch. Thomas, however, was retired on the bases on a fielder’s choice after Gartman got Abby Pruitt to pop up to the first baseman.
After the fielder’s choice, Mangham loaded the bases with two out, and two runs came to score to tie the game at 8 on a single by Camm Neathery. Lady Dragon cleanup hitter Grace Underwood then reached base on an error to allow Kacie Wyatt to score the winning run.
“Our girls fought really hard and showed a lot of gut,” Pickle said after the game. “They’re champions in my heart. I’m super proud of my team, and I love them very much.”
A 12-0 win on the previous day over Many is what put the Kinder Lady Yellow Jackets in the Class 2A state championship game.
The shutout win in the semi-finals along with the appearance in the finals was spurred on by the upperclassmen.
“Our senior class played its heart out,” head coach Skip Pickle said. “All of them did. It’s going to be sad to see them leave. I thought we were going to be state champions. I believed it in my heart because of the way our girls

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Howard, Dronet lead their teams on post-season strides including a title run

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