Errors cost Oran in district softball championship game

ORAN, Mo. -- It's something that the Oran Eagles have dealt with for most of the season, and it's what eventually ended their year.

Seven errors Friday afternoon led to the Eagles' ouster in the Class 1 District 1 softball championship game. Naylor capitalized for the 8-4 victory.

"We came out strong and had our heads in and thought we were going to do good, but we just had errors at the wrong time," Oran catcher Amanda Williams said.

Top-seeded Naylor took advantage of Oran's mistakes early with three runs in the first inning and two more in the second for a 5-1 lead.

"That's kind of been a way to summarize our season," Oran coach Sarah Heisserer said about her team's errors. "After just even one error, they get to thinking about it. It starts being a mental thing and they had a hard time overcoming it."

Oran's Courtney Scheeter stretches to catch a throw to first base as Naylor's Charity McCoy reaches first safely during Friday's Class 1 District 1 title game in Oran, Mo. (DAVID JENKINS ~ Standard Democrat)

A two-run double by Darby Pruett opened up things for Naylor in the bottom of the first after Halle Woodfin gave Oran a 1-0 lead in its half of the first inning.

An error on the infield on a ball put in ball by Charity McCoy led to Naylor's third run of the inning.

"Putting early runs on the board really got us down," Williams said.

More errors in the bottom of the second led to runs by Ericka Engleman and Andrea Sullivan to give Naylor a four-run cushion.

Engleman, who finished with two hits, extended Naylor's lead in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run home run over the left-field fence to make it 7-1.

"We were expecting them to hit every ball," Williams said. "We told our outfield they had to play deep because they have a bunch of power hitters, but they do have some of their quick ones. All around, they're a good hitting team."

Naylor finished with 10 hits.

Oran collected six hits, three from Woodfin.

"We usually get our hits when we need them, but this game they didn't come," Williams said.

Oran's Morgan Todt suffered the loss. She allowed three earned runs on 10 hits and two walks and struck out two in six innings of work.

"It's been great here," Williams said about her four years as Oran's catcher. "We have great coaches. At the beginning of the year, we knew we were going to have a good team. As the year went on, we made our little errors, but we always grew from what we did. It leaves the younger classmen with the experience they need."

Oran 100 020 1 -- 4 6 7

Naylor 320 210 x -- 8 10 0

WP -- Ericka Engleman. LP -- Morgan Todt. HR -- Engleman (N). 2B -- Andrea Sullivan (N), Darby Pruett (N). Multiple hits -- Oran: Halle Woodfin 3-4; Naylor: Engleman 2-4, Katelyn Hughey 2-4, Carleigh Lane 2-3.