Buckeye softball’s ‘Redemption Tour’ results in first Class 3A title since 2012

SULPHUR — Buckeye’s large university softball period has been about redemption.

Right after giving up four runs in the seventh inning in a 1-run reduction to Iota in last year’s regional round, the Lady Panthers received their 1st Course 3A softball title considering that 2012 by defeating Iowa, 8-6, in the championship activity Sunday.

“This is a large like none other,” Buckeye coach Justin Kees mentioned. “These women given that day one particular have mentioned this is a redemption year and they’ve set initial just about every bit of exertion to getting much better — not worrying about what other persons are doing but stressing about themselves. It’s compensated off. This run we had in the playoffs is unbelievable.”

The Lady Panthers, who shared the District 3-3A title with Grant and went 28-8 this time, defeated the major two seeds in Course 3A en route to the championship, beating No. 2 Lutcher in the quarterfinals to clinch a place in the condition match.

Soon after defeating Sterlington, 7-5, in the semifinals, it did not just take prolonged to make an effect against a top-seeded Iowa squad that did not allow for a run in the very first 4 rounds of the playoffs.

Environment the tone in the championship recreation was senior Alexis Smith, who hit dwelling operates in the first and 3rd innings to generate Most Superb Participant honors. Immediately after the Girl Jackets tied the video game in the fourth, Buckeye plated four operates in the fifth, beginning with an RBI solitary by sophomore Olivia Henry.

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“We’re a family members and we’ve been as a result of a whole lot of ups and downs and tricky occasions,” Smith said. “We’ve arrive together and we have figured out a way to jell. Ahead of this period even started through tumble ball, we claimed that Sulphur and the point out championship were being our objective and that we weren’t going to halt till we obtained there.”

All year, Buckeye turned to Henry to produce in major moments, as she either received games with her bat or arm.

Story carries on

Henry was in the circle for the last out, as she got Iowa eighth grader Alivia Singletary to ground into a fielder’s preference to protected the get. The at-bat took eight pitches, but was nicely well worth it for Henry.

“That batter was up there for a while, but I kept telling myself, ‘One a lot more strike, one far more out,’” Henry said. “Honestly, I was not was even as well nervous. It just felt like another inning and it felt like a further travel ball tournament. We weren’t nervous, but we had been enthusiastic and arrived listed here to get the occupation finished.”

The same can be said for Kees, who replaced longtime mentor Darlene Wiley in 2020.

He experienced been to Sulphur ahead of as Rapides’ mentor in 2017 and 2018 but shed in the quarterfinals every yr.

Nevertheless, there was a calm for him this period towards a tricky plan that bundled a decline to Class 4A champion North DeSoto in the standard-year finale.

“There were being a large amount of moments that I place a good deal of stress on myself, but this 12 months, I just gave all the glory to God and I observed the distinction,” Kees mentioned. “I saw the redemption. I just cannot communicate enough about it.”

This article initially appeared on Alexandria Town Chat: LHSAA Softball: Why Buckeye’s Class 3A title was about redemption