Lady Outlaws show spirit in tourney

After years of absence from the district all-star tournament, Sisters assembled a 10- to 12-year-old fast-pitch team with the vision of a district championship in their eyes.

The girls would start their tournament versus the host team Crook County. As the visiting team the Lady Outlaws scratched out a first-inning run only to have Crook County come back and put up six runs in the bottom of the first.

Behind a barrage of hits and the right arm of Outlaws starting pitcher and stellar fielding from the Sisters third basewoman, the Lady Outlaws would go on a 19-3 run and finish Crook County 20-6 in four innings.

Game two was to be the Outlaws vs. Redmond. Redmond jumped out to a quick lead with two in the top of the first and held the Outlaws scoreless.

In the top of the second the Lady Outlaws got out of the inning by showing some leather and only allowing two runs.

In the bottom of the second the Outlaws erupted for five runs, taking a one-run lead into the third inning. Redmond would tie the game in the third and another four in the fourth. The Outlaws would add a couple runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but it would not be enough, as Redmond would squeeze out an uncomfortably close game.

After the heartbreaking loss to Redmond, the Lady Outlaws came back 2-1/2 hours later to battle a fresh Warm Springs team in game three of the Outlaws' tournament.

The Lady Outlaws won the pregame coin toss and took the hammer just in case a home-team last at bat was needed.

The determined Warm Spring team jumped out to a commanding lead by the end of the second inning, leading the Outlaws 8-0. In any normal situation you would see heads hanging and a team ready to quit. Not this group; the young ladies of Sisters stood at the dugout fence and cheered for each other louder than before and decided at that point they were not going to lose this game.

In the top of the third inning the Outlaws shut down Warm Springs 1, 2, 3, and unloaded in the bottom of the third for seven runs to bring Sisters to within one run headed to the fourth.

The Outlaws defense was the story of this game. After getting shell-shocked in the first two innings, they held their heads high and held Warm Springs scoreless to the sixth inning, while tacking on another five runs in the fifth.

The Outlaws had a nice lead heading into the top of the sixth. This Warm Springs team was as determined as the Outlaws, and with some sly base-running and timely hitting the young ladies from Warm Springs tied the game with four runs in the top of the sixth. Now it was the Lady Outlaws' turn. With the hammer on their side and a strong will that was not going to allow this team to lose, they stepped out of the dugout for their first at-bat. After a couple of walks and timely hits the Outlaws were left with a tie game, two outs and a runner on third.

The pitcher delivered the ball to the catcher, the pitch short-hopped the catcher and headed to the screen as the runner from third barreled down the baseline.

The throw from the catcher to the pitcher at the plate - SAFE! - with a well-placed slide under the tag.

The Lady Outlaws were victorious and headed to the championship game the following day versus tournament-favorite Redmond.

The Lady Outlaws put up a great fight, and Redmond is a great team that will represent Central Oregon well in the state tournament, but it was not to be the Lady Outlaws' day.

After multiple injuries, illness, and heat exhaustion the Lady Outlaws' season would come to an end in the championship game.

"As the girls stood on the first-base line after the game to accept their second-place trophy a realization came over me," said Coach Jason Monaghan. "Speaking with many patrons of the tournament that commented to the fact it was great to have Sisters back in the tournament, and that they were rooting for the underdog. I thought 'are we an underdog?' With the display that this team put on at the tournament I would say: Underdog no more, we are a force to be reckoned with."

Monaghan said, "This group of girls is the epitome of a team; they rooted each other on, helped each other up when they were down, and never gave up. There are too many great stories about this tournament too put into one story. If you happen to see me around ask me about these Lady Outlaws and their tournament, warning if you do: I hope you have the time, because it could take a while."

The roster of the Outlaws softball all-stars: Cooper Alport, Sienna Chamberlain, Greta Davis, Hannah Fendall, Taylor Foley, Chole Frazee, Taylor Lookabaugh, Hannah Maiden, Lizzy McCrystal, Daisy Patterson, Payden Petterson and Anessa Stotts.

"It was a lot of fun and quite the experience working with these girls this all-star season," said Monaghan.

"Girls, thank you for allowing me the privilege to coach you all through this experience; this is a memory I will have forever. Bill, thank you so much for the help, you are a rock star."