OKLAHOMA CITY – Bethany used the bottom of the batting order to help generate big innings in a 12-0 run-rule win over Putnam City North Monday (Aug. 19).

The Lady Bronchos (4-4) collected 15 hits and every starter. but one had a hit in the win.

The Lady Panthers (2-3) struggled at the plate with only three hits against Bethany starter Jayda Davis. Three North errors hurt the Lady Panthers as Bethany built the big lead.

After two scoreless innings in which Bethany had scattered three hits, the Lady Bronchos’ nine-hole hitter, sophomore Emma Geissler, got the offense going with a single in the third inning.

The floodgates opened.

Senior Ireland Riley reached on a infield error. Fellow junior Madison Bibbs lined a triple to score two runs. Sophomore Jules Barger lined a double, scoring Bibbs. Another junior, Paige Sechrist singled to put runners at first and third base. Sophomore Ella Davis singled home Barger and Sechrist scored on a throwing error by North right fielder McKayla Coats to make it 5-0.

In the next inning, it was back to the bottom of Bethany’s lineup. Geissler responded with another single and then stole second. Riley lined a triple to center field for another run. Bibbs added a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Riley. Bethany would add another run. Sechrist doubled to left field and Berkley Johnson reached on a throwing error, scoring Seachrist to make it 8-0.

Bethany coach Booker Blakley wasn’t surprised the rallies started from the bottom.

“We treat our nine hole kind of like it’s a second leadoff (hitter),” Blakley said. “Geissler did a really great job with that today.”

Junior Emma Buxton (the eight-hole hitter) started off the fifth inning with a single. Three doubles, a wild pitch and another single later, Bethany plated four more runs to make it 12-0.

During her team’s offensive onslaught, Bethany’s Davis was efficient in the pitcher’s circle, striking out five batter and working around a minimal amount of North baserunners.

“(Jayda) did a really great job for us not giving up anything free,” Blakley said. “We don’t want to walk a lot of people or give free opportunities.”

Davis hit North leadoff hitter McKayla Coats to start the bottom of the first inning but didn’t give up a walk in the contest.

After a tough 1-4 weekend in Weatherford at the I-40 Classic, Blakley, in his first year at Bethany, was happy for the dominant win.

“We’re learning a lot of things just from me and how I want them to do things and and learning to win is one of them.

“It seems really simple, but it’s a really hard thing to do.”

North coach D’Antae Mitchell was left shaking his head about the miscues and the “little things” that hurt his team during the Bethany scoring.

“When you rebuild a program, you’re building your brand, you set the standard, I mean, the standard don’t change no matter if you make an error here,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell admits his players might be thinking too much and not reacting on the field.

“We were just too worried about making a mistake and I told him, I said, ‘don’t be afraid to make a mistake.’ “

He called that game the Lady Panthers’ “worst defensive game” of the young season.

Despite the loss, Mitchell was happy that his players kept their spirits up and the dugout kept up the energy and stayed focused on the game.

EXTRA BASES

Four Lady Bronchos had more than one hit (Riley, Bibbs, Barger, Seachrist and Geissler). Both Barger and Seachrist went 3-for-4, each with two doubles. Bibbs added a double and triple in her 2-for-3 performance.

Geissler went 2-for-2 with three runs scored.

North starter Monica Coats struck out four batters in the loss and she got one of the Lady Panthers’ three hits. Sophomore Savannah Martinez and senior Kylee Smith added the other hits.

UP NEXT

The Lady Bronchos travel to Woodward Tuesday (Aug. 20 ) at 5 p.m. in a Class 4A District 1 contest.

The Lady Panthers host Southmoore Tuesday (Aug. 20) at 6:30 p.m. in Class 6A District 2 contest.

TEAM	1	2	3	4	5	R	H	E
Bethany (3-4)	0	0	5	3	4	12	15	5
Putnam City North (2-3)	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	3

BETHANY	AB	R	H	RBI
Ireland Riley	4	3	2	1
Madison Bibbs	3	2	2	5
Jules Barger	4	2	3	2
Paige Seachrist	4	2	3	1
Berkley Johnson	4	0	1	0
Ella Davis	3	0	1	1
Grey Williamson	2	0	0	0
– Alyssa Daniels	1	0	0	0
Emma Buxton	3	0	1	0
Emma Geissler	2	3	2	0
– Jayda Davis	1	0	0	0
TOTAL	31	12	15	11

BETHANY	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Jayda Davis (W, 2-1)	5	3	0	0	0	6
TOTAL	5	3	0	0	0	6

PUTNAM CITY NORTH	AB	R	H	RBI
Mikala Coats	1	0	0	0
Monica Coats	2	0	1	0
Aubrey Miller	2	0	0	0
Savannah Martinez	2	0	1	0
Jayda Stevenson	2	0	0	0
Kayla Orton	2	0	0	0
Angel Franklin	2	0	0	0
Raya Shawareb	2	0	0	0
Kylee Smith	2	0	1	0
TOTAL	16	0	3	0

PUTNAM CITY NORTH	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Monica Coats (L, 1-2)	4.2	15	12	9	1	4
Angel Franklin	0.1	0	0	0	0	1
TOTAL	5	15	12	9	1	5