Lone Grove repeats as Class 4A champion with 3-0 win against Tecumseh in title-game rematch
By Michael Kinney
OKLAHOMA CITY - Lone Grove entered the postseason with a not-so-secret weapon.
Emma Wilson, the team’s No. 1 pitcher, had been dominating the competition for almost two years and showed no signs of letting up in the state fast pitch softball tournament.
However, waiting for the Longhorns in the Class 4A state championship game was the same Tecumseh squad Lone Grove had dispatched in 2021 to win the state title. If any team was going to be able to figure out the postseason riddle of Wilson, it would be the second-seeded Savages.
However, that was not to be the case as Lone Grove came away with a 3-0 shutout Saturday at USA Hall of Fame Stadium to win the program’s third fast pitch title.
“We knew what we were coming into and we knew what to expect,” Wilson said. “We all knew we had to play our game and play how we know.
"That’s exactly what we did. That’s why we are state champions two years in a row.”
Leading by three, Wilson took the mound in the bottom of the seventh. For the first time the entire game, the senior started to show some nerves and walked Sami Schweighardt on four pitches.
Wilson then threw a ball to Candence Oliver, which brought Lone Grove coach Dennis Furr out of the dugout like a bullet for a quick conference at the mound with his star pitcher.
After she took a deep breath, Wilson then went on to strike out the next two batters and then got Serenity Jacoway to ground out to end the game. Wilson was immediately dogpiled at the circle.
“Coach came out there and told me to throw strikes, you know how to do that,” Wilson said. “That’s what I did.”
Wilson picked up the complete-game shutout by striking out 11. In the final two games of her fast pitch career, Wilson racked up 29 strikeouts and allowed zero runs.
“She has got two no-hitters in the postseason, and threw five shutouts,” Furr said. “We haven’t given up a run in the postseason so far. She has just been incredible.
"Two years in a row now, she has been the best pitcher in the state tournament. Because of that, we’re state champions back to back.”
In the bottom of the second, Tecumseh (29-13) put a runner on second with only one out on the board. A solid hit would bring home the first run of the day.
However, Wilson struck out the next two batters to close out the threat.
The Longhorns (33-8) started the top of the fourth inning with a Lexi Meadows single. Two batters later, Jesse Shuman clubbed a liner into center field to bring Meadows home for the game’s first run.
The Longhorns kept applying pressure, and put runners on second and third with Aeryn Shuman at the plate. However, Jacoway got Shuman to pop for the third out.
Lone Grove got a little scare in the bottom of the fourth when Wilson got hit in the leg by a ball while in the circle. After walking it off, she was able to continue pitching and fanned the next two batters.
Brook Langford and Aeryn Shuman each brought home a run in the sixth inning to put the Longhorns up by three runs.
It was Lone Grove’s defense that shined in the final innings. That is especially true for Jesse Shuman, who made two dramatic inning-ending catches in right field with runners on bases.
“They were very exciting because I didn’t think I was going to get to them,” Jesse Shuman said. “But both of them were really amazing. It feels amazing. I love helping my teammates.”
According to Furr, Jesse Shuman had misplayed a ball earlier in the tournament, but he knew she would redeem herself when she got the chance.
“Jesse missed a ball yesterday in right field,” Furr said. “I just kept telling her tomorrow is another day, you’ll be great because that’s what you are. Tomorrow will be our day.
"She made two incredible catches that saved multiple runs and drove in two runs. She came up big for (Saturday).”
