Update: Bats Come Alive in Seventh for Oxford Softball

Updated at 6:25 a.m. on Monday

It was only a matter of time until one team figured out the other team’s pitcher and started stringing together a couple of hits. 

Luckily for the Oxford Wolverines, they were the first to do it – just in the nick of time – Sunday against Terryville to win the Class S state title 1-0.

Oxford had just one hit, an infield single by third-baseman Sam Orner, going into the bottom of the seventh inning. Allison Sweeney, Oxford’s first batter in the seventh, sparked Oxford’s quick rally in the seventh when she rocked a fastball over the center fielder’s head for a double. It looked like déjà vu when the next batter, sophomore Katelyn Wentz, ripped a double of her own that landed just before the warning track in center.

Pinch runner Makena Hillman, who went in for Sweeney at second, scored easily and the celebration ensued.

“Once I got to second, I knew my teammates were going to drive me in,” she said.

Wentz said her team doesn’t necessarily perform well under pressure, “so we just try to shake it off the best we can and try not to think about it.”

It worked for Wentz and Sweeney and certainly did for sophomore pitcher Ashley Guillette, who pitched a complete game, surrendering just two hits and striking out 15 batters. Terryville’s first 10 outs of the game came on strikeouts.

Guillette gave up a single to the first batter of the game, who then stole second. With a runner in scoring position, Guillette, who is already being pursued by top Div. 1 teams, buckled down like she has all season and relied on her array of pitches, most notably her dominating fastball.

“We were confident and we knew we could get it done,” said Guillette, who was named the tournament’s most valuable player. “It was great; I don’t know what to say, I’m just speechless. I love our team so much.”

Coach James Husar said he knew it was going to be a pitchers’ duel because there were two all-state caliber pitchers in Guillette and Terryville’s Jamie Bridge.

But, he said, like the team has been doing all year, Oxford stayed patient and waited for the right opportunity to strike.

“I’m happy it turned out this way, especially for the seniors who get to leave with a win,” he said. “That doesn’t happen often.”

Senior Captain Marissa Downs said she had confidence in her team, especially Wentz, whom she said the team calls “clutch” because she’s proven to be just that in big situations.

Downs was overcome with emotion at the end of the game. She couldn’t have written a better script for her final game.

“We worked hard for this all season,” Downs said. “We thought we would just make states like we had before, but to actually win this thing feels amazing.”