Lady Pioneers Survive Epic Slugfest, Win Regional Title in Extra Innings

In one of the wildest games of the season, the Lady Pioneers battled Southmoore for nearly three hours Thursday afternoon before emerging with a 20–19 victory in eight innings to claim the OSSAA Class 6A Regional Championship at Couch Park.

The win sends Stillwater back to the state tournament and caps a remarkable postseason run that saw the Lady Pioneers survive two high-pressure games against the Sabercats in less than 48 hours.

This wasn't just a softball game – it was an absolute slugfest. The two teams combined for 43 hits and 39 runs, with momentum swinging back and forth throughout the contest. After seven innings of chaos, the scoreboard read 19–19, forcing extra innings to decide a regional champion.

In the top of the eighth, Stillwater finally broke through when senior catcher Callé Cox hit an RBI to score the go-ahead run, giving the Lady Pioneers a 20–19 lead. Stillwater then shut down Southmoore in the bottom half to secure the dramatic victory and the regional crown.

Southmoore's Lucely Kutz lays out attempting a catch during the regional championship game against Stillwater on Oct. 9 at Couch Park. The Sabercats fell 20–19 in eight innings.

Coming back from a first inning disaster

The game started as a nightmare for Stillwater. Southmoore exploded for 11 runs in the first inning, putting the Lady Pioneers in a massive hole.

"When you're down, it was definitely defeating for me, but then I just go into managing mode and trying to manage it and trying to stop the bleeding," head coach Karie Linsenmeyer said after the game. "But then also start thinking about what are we going to do game two."

With a potential second championship game looming if they lost, Linsenmeyer had to be strategic about her pitching staff. The decision was made early: save ace Grace Tonga for later in the game – or for a potential Game 7.

"We had a plan to just, we weren't going to put Grace in unless we were very close or had the lead or whatever," Linsenmeyer explained. "So that was our plan and otherwise we're just going to try."

That meant turning to the bench and asking players to step up in the biggest game of the season.

JV players rise to the occasion

One of the unsung heroes of the regional championship was a JV pitcher who took the mound in relief allowing Stillwater to stay within striking distance.

"The young lady that pitched in the middle there is a JV pitcher, and she did tremendous," Linsenmeyer said. "I mean, yeah, holy cow. And then she got like two hits. I mean, come on."

Joshlyn Wooten answered the call, giving the Lady Pioneers two innings of work while also contributing two hits at the plate. The performance epitomized the team effort required to survive the marathon contest.

"The other girls give those girls confidence. They help them rise," Linsenmeyer said. "And I'm just super proud of all of them, all the girls in the dugout. I mean, there's so many people that did so many good things."

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Offensive explosion in the 7th

The Lady Pioneers' offense was absolutely relentless. Stillwater pounded out 22 hits and launched five home runs in the victory.

Saisului Kolone led the power surge with two home runs and finished 3-for-6 at the plate. Michelle Kolone also went deep twice, going 2-for-4 with two walks. Presley Reed added another bomb while going 3-for-4 with a walk.

The hits kept coming from top to bottom in the lineup. Landen Warner, Jaelynn Wilhelm, and Tonga each collected three hits in the offensive onslaught.

The home run barrage also made history for the program. According to Linsenmeyer, the team broke Stillwater's single-season home run record during the regional tournament.

"We broke the record for home runs in a single season," she said. "I think it was 37, and I think we went into the 40s today."

Stillwater pitcher, Grace Tonga, slides home during the Lady Pioneers’ comeback rally in the top of the 7th. Tonga then took the mound in the 7th inning to help shut down the Sabercat offense and win the regional match-up.

Pitching by committee

On the mound, Stillwater used four different pitchers in the marathon contest. Saisului Kolone went three innings, allowing 14 hits but striking out three in relief. Warner, Wooten and Tonga tagged in as the Lady Pioneers navigated through Southmoore's equally dangerous lineup.

The Sabercats refused to go away quietly, matching Stillwater nearly run for run throughout the game. With 21 hits of their own, Southmoore kept the pressure on until the final out, making the Lady Pioneers earn every inch of the regional championship.

The Lady Pioneers will return to the 6A state tournament this year. In the 2024 tournament, Stillwater fell to Choctaw in the first round. The Sabercats were fast-pitch state champions in 2023 but will miss the tourney for the second year.

The rematch

The championship game was the culmination of a grueling regional tournament that saw both teams advance through the winner's bracket before meeting Wednesday evening. After Stillwater defeated Southmoore 6–5 in that semifinal, the Sabercats fought through the elimination bracket to force the rematch less than 24 hours later.

Throughout the roller coaster of emotions, Linsenmeyer tried to remain steady for her team.

"Trying to be the person they need me to be, the coach that they need me to be, somebody who believes in them, and that's what I tried to be," Linsenmeyer said.

Up next? State.

With the regional title secured, the Lady Pioneers now advance to the Class 6A State Tournament, which begins Thursday, Oct. 16 at Devon Park in Oklahoma City – formerly known as USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium – softball site for the 2026 summer olympics.

Unlike regionals, the state tournament is single elimination with eight teams competing. The format will see teams advance to the semifinals on the second day, with the tournament concluding over three days.

The road to state has been anything but easy, but if Thursday's performance showed anything, it's that this Stillwater team knows how to win when it matters most – and has the depth to do it with contributions from every player in the dugout.

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