Oran softball team has long trip ahead for Class 1 quarterfinal

The Oran softball team will have to travel farther to play its state quarterfinal on Saturday than it will have to travel to the final four should it win.

The Eagles (13-4) will leave early Saturday morning to travel most of the way across the state to Walnut Grove. The drive will take nearly five hours and the Eagles will pass by Springfield, where the final four will be held a week later.

"We're planning on leaving about 8:30 Saturday morning," Oran coach Jim Eftink said. "We'll eat lunch on the way some place, and then we plan on getting there 2:30, 3 o'clock."

Eftink said he wasn't concerned about the long trip before the 4 p.m. first pitch.

"I think once we get off the bus they'll be all right and everything," he said. "We'll have some time to wind down, and I think we'll be OK. I'm not really worried about a bus trip that far."

Oran's Tatum May runs on a double by Anna Jones to score against Dora during the sixth inning of the Class 1 sectional softball game Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013 in Oran, Mo. (Fred Lynch)

The fact that Walnut Grove (14-8) has yet to allow a run in the postseason is far more concerning. The Tigers romped to the Class 1 District 4 title with a 15-0 victory over Weaubleau and a 10-0 win over Dadeville before defeating Jasper 4-0 in its sectional.

"What I've looked at online is they've got a pretty good pitcher," Eftink said. "They're about like us. They went into districts -- their record was not the most impressive in the world, but whenever they got into districts their pitcher started shutting out people. I think they've had three shutouts in a row in their district and their sectional game."

The Eagles won Class 1 District 1 with a 3-0 win over Neelyville followed by a 8-1 victory over Naylor before beating Dora 3-0 in the sectional round. Oran's win over Naylor broke a string of three consecutive losses to Naylor in the district title game.

Last season Naylor defeated Walnut Grove 7-3 in the state quarterfinal round before eventually losing by a run in the state championship game.

As they have throughout the season, the Eagles will rely on small ball and their speed to produce runs.

"That will definitely be the strategy," Eftink said. "You know, you can't change here at the end of the season with something that's been successful. Sometimes whenever you get a tough pitcher like that, that's the way you can beat them -- rattle them up and see what [they] do. We've got girls, whenever they get on base too, they cause a lot of problems. They can steal bases. We don't necessarily have to bunt. Our problem is we have to get them on base."

While Oran is seeking its first trip to the softball final four, Kelly (18-7) will attempt to reach its seventh final four in 10 years on Saturday when it hosts Willow Springs at 3 p.m.

Willow Springs defeated Hartville, a team familiar to Kelly in the postseason, 2-0 in eight innings to reach the quarterfinals and enters the game with a 15-10 record. The Bears won Class 2 District 3 as the top seed with a 5-1 win over Mountain Grove and a 2-0 victory over Gainesville.

Kelly, the Class 2 District 1 champion, beat Portageville 3-0 and St. Vincent 11-1 in district play before beating East Carter County 6-0 in the sectional round. The Hawks won their quarterfinal contest 13-0 over Hartville last season.