SHERIDAN — Offense came in a cluster for the Sheridan Lady Jackets on Saturday, but their defense was intact for the majority of the afternoon.
Sophomore pitcher Kaitlyn Howard surrendered six hits and the Lady Jackets scored all of their runs in the fourth inning in a 5-2 victory over the Greenwood Lady Bulldogs in the championship game of the 6A-West Conference Tournament.
With one out in the fourth inning, Sheridan (27-3) came up with six consecutive singles and a sacrifice fly to post all the runs it needed to turn back Greenwood (20-5).
“ With both of these teams, you’re going to have hits,” Sheridan Coach Tamara Strawn said. “We talked about that at the beginning. They were going to hit and our defense was going to have to be ready. But that’s great. Our pitchers know that, and they know the defense is going to be behind them.”
Sheridan draws a No. 1 seed for this week’s state tournament in Greenwood. The Lady Jackets have a first-round bye and will play Friday at 3 p.m. Greenwood will be a No. 2 seed and play at 12:30 p.m. on Friday.
Howard struck out three and did not allow a walk. She also took a hard liner off her leg from the bat of junior Mariah Hamilton with one out in the sixth inning, but the Lady Jackets recorded the out when senior shortstop Maggie Hicks grabbed the carom and threw out Hamilton at first.
Howard retired nine of the final 10 batters she faced.
Greenwood pitcher Kalia Cartwright struck out seven and did not allow a walk in her sixth game back since recovering from a fractured ankle earlier in the year.
Sheridan senior Sarah Moore’s single through the middle to tie the game at 1-1. Junior Claudia Benning blooped a single just beyond third base to score Nicole Tompkins and give Sheridan the lead for good. Howard and sophomore Savannah Sanford also drove in runs with singles. Senior Kylee Williamson sent a ball to deep center field to account for the Lady Jackets’ final run.