OSAWATOMIE — In a season of highlights, Kaylie Schinstock saved one of her best for last.
The Iola High senior smacked a run-scoring double with two outs in the top of the seventh — after host Osawatomie had rallied to tie the score — to give the Fillies a 5-4 lead.
Then, Schinstock slammed the door shut when she snared a line drive off the bat of Osawatomie’s Meadow Stull to end the game in the bottom of the seventh.
Iola’s 6-0 and 5-4 victories Wednesday came in the regular season finale for both teams.
Next up for the Fillies is the Class 4A Regional Tournament, with seedings and locations yet to be announced.
The victories were a nice salve for Iola, which played poorly one day earlier in a pair of losses to Santa Fe Trail.
On Wednesday, the Fillies put forth a number of highlight reel defensive plays. Left fielder Chloe Sell stunned Osawatomie with her diving catch of sinking liner hit by Stull in the bottom of the third.
“She’s the best outfielder I’ve ever had,” head coach Chris Weide said of Sell. “She reads the ball well, and she goes and gets it.”
And Fillies shortstop Aysha Houk started a nifty double play in the fourth when she snared a line drive and tossed to first to double off the baserunner.
“Our team’s built around great pitching and great defense,” Weide said. “When we have those, it keeps you in every game.”
The pitching came from Reece Murry, who tossed a three-hit shutout in the opening 6-0 victory, and Jenna Miller, who gave up 10 hits in the nightcap, but pitched effectively with runners on base.
Miller also rebounded nicely after Osawatomie’s Madie Baltou hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth to erase a 4-1 Fillies lead.
“Jenna Miller pitched great,” Weide said. “She didn’t get down on herself, and she kept throwing strikes. The defense stepped up for her and Reece. That’s definitely when we’re at our best.”
The tie score set the stage nicely for Schinstock, who admitted to being irked at herself for grounding out twice on the day with runners in scoring position.
“I wasn’t very happy with where I hit it,” Schinstock said. “I just was very frustrated. I wanted to do better for my team.”
