Oran loses Class 1 quarterfinal in 10-inning thriller

~ The Eagles fell short of their first final four as Walnut Grove ultimately prevailed 7-6

WALNUT GROVE -- Oran High School junior Aubrianna Jones did everything she could Saturday to prolong the careers of her seven senior friends.

And she very nearly pulled it off.

Oran had a few chances to win and a few chances to lose at Walnut Grove in a Class 1 softball quarterfinal, but finally fell short 7-6 in a 10-inning thriller.

Jones took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and escaped two bases-loaded jams with the winning run on third base, but still took the tough loss.

"I just had to stay focused," Jones said. "We've been in small situations like that throughout the year, but it's indescribable how it is now, because every inning I knew it could be the last inning that I could be with those seven seniors I've been with for 10 years.

"They've literally meant everything to the program. We've all been together for 10 years, and they were the best leaders and they set the best example for everybody."

The loss ends the season for the Eagles (13-5), who were trying to reach state for the first time in school history.

Jones struck out 15 batters, and did her best work under pressure. After the Eagles tied the game in the top of the seventh, she faced a no-out, bases-loaded situation.

Jones got two groundouts to shortstop Taylor Nenninger, who fired the runners out at home, and then struck out the final batter of the frame.

In the eighth, with one out and the bases loaded, Jones got a short pop fly to second base and struck out the final batter to keep her team alive.

"If it was anybody else that I've ever had as a pitcher, I'd be worried, but with her, I'm not that worried," Oran coach Jim Eftink said. "She's a little bulldog out there, and she'll fight you with her last breath. She's just a competitor."

Oran then pressured Walnut Grove (15-8) with runs in the top of the ninth and 10th innings.

In the ninth, Nenninger scored on an RBI single by Allie Cummins.

The Eagles could have ended the game in the ninth, but a two-out pop fly to shallow right field fell out of Molly McConnell's glove, and the tying run scored.

"It's unlike us to blow a lead," Eftink said. "Whenever we could get up on them, and they would come back, it was just devastating. But the girls picked themselves up.

"It was just a (10-inning) game, 7-6, what else can you say?"

Oran scored to go up 6-5 in the 10th when Morgan Todt scored on a wild pitch by Walnut Grove pitcher Karsyn Hejna, who also went the distance.

Then, with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth, Jones induced a grounder to shortstop by Audree Crain that could have ended the game.

However, the throw to second got past the second baseman. On the overthrow, Hejna hustled home and dove headfirst to the plate, barely beating the tag for the winning run.

"It's tough to sit there and watch that after all that went on," Eftink said. "But life goes on. You've got to go on."

Oran had 11 hits, but eight errors.

Nenninger, Kern and Cummins had two hits apiece for the Eagles.

Walnut Grove will play Westran at 2 p.m. Friday in a semifinal game at Springfield's Killian Softball Complex.

Class 1 quarterfinal

Walnut Grove 7, Oran 6, 10 innings

Oran 000 101 201 1 -- 6 11 8

Walnut Grove 000 022 001 2 -- 7 8 3

WP -- Karsyn Hejna; LP -- Aubrianna Jones. Hits: Oran -- Taylor Nenninger 2, Morgan Todt, Jamie Kern 2, Allie Cummins 2, Molly McConnell, Addie Kielhotner, Chrissy Sauceda; Walnut Grove -- Karsyn Hejna 2 (2B, HR), Audree Crain (2B), Miranda Allison (2B), Heather Harman, Raylie Henja, Ellen Hayter, Carrigan Comstock. Records: Walnut Grove 15-8, Oran 13-5