OKTAHA LADY TIGERS
Coach: KIA HOLMES
31-8
After another stellar year in softball in 2022 that culminated with the Class 4A slow pitch championship for the Lady Tigers of Oktaha, they’ll be looking to make that same statement in the upcoming fast pitch season as they return eight starters from that team.
“We will be an older more experienced team this year that will start several seniors and juniors. We will also have several young players that should push the older ones as well and I see big things coming from this group,” said coach Kia Holmes.
Among the “old heads” that will lead the charge for Oktaha will be senior Peyton “Leroy” Bryan who catches and plays third base for the Lady Tigers.
“Leroy is every softball coach’s kind of player,” said Holmes. “She is gritty and hard-nosed and never takes a play off and will again hit in the three or four hole for us. She has committed to play college ball at Avila University in Kansas City next year.”
Another college commit is senior first baseman Kirsten Berry who will be going to Carl Albert next year.
“Kirsten plays mostly first base for us but has the ability to play other positions as well,” said Holmes. “She can hit with power and is solid defensively and has worked herself into a really good player that we will rely on this season.”
Ryleigh Bacon is another senior returning starter that Holmes and the Lady Tigers will look to this year.
“Ryleigh has started in center field for us her entire career. She has a great arm and the speed to cover a lot of ground. If it’s hit in the air in her direction, we expect that she will track it down. Her speed helps her at the plate as a slapper that can sneak bunt, move runners around and steal bases,” said Holmes.
Success in fast pitch starts in the circle and Oktaha will return sophomore Mileigh Needham to the pitcher’s spot this season.
“Mileigh had a good freshman year for us pitching and we will look for even more from her this year,” said Holmes. “She’s a very athletic pitcher who can also play other positions. We will really be relying on her this season, and I know she will step up because she is a true competitor in all that she does.”
And every team needs a player that contributes on the field and on the bench and senior Sydney Highfill is that player for Oktaha.
“Sydney is truly a team-first player. She will pitch some for us, but her biggest contribution is her team-first attitude. She holds herself and her teammates to a higher standard of doing the right thing,” said Holmes.
Other returning starters for the Lady Tigers include seniors Cambree McCoy, Brynna Rodden, Ava Scott and Mackenzie Eaves as well as junior Hannah Focht. Other players looking to find some playing time in this experienced lineup will be juniors Miley Holt and Khayden Kirkpatrick, sophomores BrenLee Morgan, Aubree Davis, Madison Capps, Shianne Dill and Hailey VanBrunt as well freshmen like Kadence Strube, Kardin Murphy, Maddi Fulton, Tyann Stacy and Hadley Branan.
Given the senior leadership mixed with experienced underclassmen that have been on the big stage recently, it’s hard to imagine that the Lady Tigers won’t find themselves playing at Hall of Fame Stadium for the gold ball come October.
