Oakwood coach Dave Markwell pleased with return of Oakwood Junior High softball

By Fred Kroner
fred@mahometnews.com

The Knights were held to four hits on Thursday (Sept. 17) and dropped a 16-5 decision at St. Joseph.

Bella Bradford, Mikayla Whaling and Erin Ware were each 1-for-1 and reached bases three times. Bradford and Ware walked twice and Whaling was hit by a pitch twice.

Teammate Rylee Wright also clubbed a hit. Wright pitched the first three innings and recorded one strikeout. Bradford worked two innings.

The Knights scored three runs in the top of the first inning, but St. Joseph responded with six runs in the bottom of the inning.

“They hit them where we weren’t,” Oakwood coach Dave Markwell said.

On Saturday (Sept. 19), the Knights ended the regular season with their first shutout of the season, 3-0 over Schlarman Academy in Tilton.

Both teams entered the game with 4-4 season records.

Whaling pitched a complete-game, scattering four hits in seven innings. She walked two and struck out three.

“We had great pitching and played good defense (not committing an error) behind her,” Markwell said.

The schools were locked in a scoreless duel until the top of the fifth, when Samantha Dunnavon scored the lone run that was needed.

Dunnavon and Wright each collected two hits. Teammates finishing with one hit apiece were Whaling, Bradford, Ware, Taylor Smoot and Gracie Hanner.

Ware and Hanner scored insurance runs in the seventh inning.

Oakwood’s season ended on Monday (Sept. 21) with an 8-6 loss to visiting Bismarck-Henning in a first-round Class 2A IESA regional tournament game.

Oakwood regrouped after falling behind 8-3 and had the tying runs on base in the seventh inning.

Wright pitched a complete game, allowing eight hits while walking five and striking out five.

The Knights totaled 13 hits, including a 3-for-3 showing by Bradford.

Wright, Whaling and Dunnavon all ended with two hits.

Other squad members with hits in the finale were Smoot, Sophia Hart, Ware and Caydence Vermillion.

Markwell was pleased by the overall season.

“The kids did a nice job, battling every game,” Markwell said. “It was a challenge putting together a team with a lot of inexperience playing.”

Markwell announced after the game that he is retiring as the head coach.

“It was a fun year,” he said, “and I enjoyed myself.”

The Knights ended the season with a 5-5 overall record and outscored the opposition 88-82.