CACHE – After beating Ada for the second time during Class 4A Regional 4, Bethany fell to Cache, 1-0, giving the Lady Bulldogs the regional title and eliminating the Lady Bronchos from the playoffs Thursday (Oct. 3).

“I thought that we had a very solid year,” Bethany coach Booker Blakley said via text. “Although our record did not show it, I believe that we made a lot of improvements. We played a very tough schedule, one of the toughest in class 4A.

“We return a lot of our team, so we will expect bright things in the future.”

Blakley, in his first year with the Lady Bronchos after a successful run at Guthrie, led Bethany to its first playoff wins since 2015. That team won two district playoff games and a regional contest.

BETHANY 10, ADA 0

Bethany broke open a 1-0 with six runs in the fourth inning en route to a run-rule win to eliminate Ada.

“It took a little while to get focused offensively in the first game,” Blakley said. “After we had a little meeting around the third or fourth inning, we responded well and put the game away.”

Second baseman Emma Buxton went 2-for-3. The junior hit a bases-clearing double off the top of the wall in the fourth inning. She finished with five runs batted in.

Fellow juniors Jules Barger and Paige Sechrist also went 2-for-3. Barger also hit a double. Sophomore Emma Geissler added a 2-for-3 day as well.

Senior Ireland Riley went 1-for-2 and scored three times. Junior Alyssa Daniels and sophomore Ella Davis each had a hit.

Sechrist pitched five scoreless innings. She allowed four hits. Sechrist didn’t walk a batter and struck out seven.

“I thought Paige did a great job in the circle, worked herself out of a few jams to keep them off the scoreboard,” Blakley said.

CACHE 1, BETHANY 0

With the win, Bethany had to beat Cache twice to advance.

The game’s lone run came in the fourth inning on an RBI-single by Cache sophomore ZaiLea Rodriguez.

Bethany had some opportunities but couldn’t push a run across the plate. Riley tripled to lead off the game but was stranded at third base. In the third, Riley doubled to left field but again was left stranded.

A Riley walk and a Madison Bibbs single with one out gave the Lady Bronchos another shot in the sixth, but they were unable to score.

In her final game with Bethany, Riley reached base all three times, going 2-for-2 along with a walk. Bibbs went 1-for-3.

Cache starter Hadlee Hunt limited Bethany to three hits.

Jayda Davis was almost as dominant. She allowed four hits in six innings. Davis walked two batters and struck out two in the loss.

“Jayda did outstanding once again and was backed up by some pretty solid defense,” Blakley said. “Offensively we did not do a great job of getting the big hit at the right time. Ireland Riley did a wonderful job offensively with a triple and a double but we were unable to knock her in.”

CLASS 4A REGIONAL 4 (AT CACHE)
WEDNESDAY, October 2, 2024
GAME 1: Cache 22, Classen S.A.S. 0
GAME 2: Bethany 10, Ada 0.
GAME 3: Ada 11, Classen S.A.S. 0
GAME 4: Cache 3, Bethany 1

THURSDAY, October 3, 2024
GAME 5: Bethany 10, Ada 0
GAME 6: Cache 1, Bethany 0 (Cache advances)

BETHANY 10, ADA 0

	1	2	3	4	5	R	H	E
Ada (10-19)	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
Bethany (18-17)	0	0	1	6	3	10	11	0

CACHE 1, BETHANY 0

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Bethany (18-18)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Cache (20-17)	0	0	0	1	0	0	X	1	4	0