BETHANY — Kingfisher jumped out early on Bethany for a 6-2 win in a 4A-3 matchup and the opener for both teams.

“It was a tough loss to a good opponent,” Bethany coach Booker Blakley said via text. “We gave ourselves some opportunities with runners on base but couldn’t quite find that moment to deliver.”

The Bronchos stranded eight baserunners in the loss.

The Yellowjackets (1-0, 1-0) scored three runs in the first inning on a double, triple and a Bethany error before the Bronchos could get an out.

Senior Jayda Davis came in to pitch in relief and threw four scoreless innings before Kingfisher scored again. Davis pitched all seven innings after coming in with no outs in the first inning. She struck out three batters.

“(Davis) settled us down and gave us an opportunity to claw our way back into the game,” Blakley said.

In the fifth inning, Kingfisher center fielder Jancee Matthews hit the first of her two home runs in the game to extend the lead to 4-0.

In the bottom half of the inning, Bethany (0-1, 0-1) got on the scoreboard. After a leadoff single by senior Maddison McNutt, junior Jules Barger reached on a fielder’s choice and a force out of McNutt at second base. Senior Emma Buxton lined a double to right field, scoring Barger to make it 4-1.

Matthews had a solo homer in the seventh and two more errors led to another run to make it 6-1.

In the bottom half of the inning, Barger led off with a double to right field and Buxton once again brought her home with a single to left field to make it 6-2.

Senior Madison Bibbs lined into a double play junior Ella Davis flied out to end the comeback bid.

Buxton went 2-for-2 and drove in both runs. Barger, junior Emma Geissler and McNutt each had a hit.

Barger scored both runs for the Bronchos.

In the first inning, freshman Riane Rollins made a splash in her first varsity at-bat. Rollins lined a single to left field to load the bases. In the sixth inning, Rollins singled up the middle to lead off the inning. She went 2-for-3 in her debut.

“It’s only one game in districts but shows us what we need to work on going forward to compete and ultimately reach the goals we have for ourselves this season,” Blakley said.

UP NEXT

The Bronchos head west to play in the I-40 Classic in Weatherford Friday and Saturday (Aug. 15-16).

Photographs courtesy of Kristie Escoe of Life in Action Photography.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Kingfisher (1-0, 1-0)	3	0	0	0	1	0	2	6	7	1
Bethany (0-1, 0-1)	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	2	7	3