DIAMOND TIME: Preps shine as season revs up

Bartlesville High’s softball season of promise started out with a rainout.

Due to standing water in the outfield, the Lady Bruins postponed their scheduled campaign opener at home against Enid High.

Bartlesville finished 19-15 last season and appears to have a pretty strong crew — based partly on preseason play — heading into the season.

The Lady Bruins are set to play this weekend in a Norman tourney and host their home opener next Tuesday.

——

Caney Valley

All things considered, the Lady Trojans surged into the season with plenty of gumption but just couldn’t make it all the way to victory junction.

With the score tied, 6-6, after five innings, Afton finished off with a 6-0 run in the final two innings to win the season opener, 12-6, in Ramona.

Myah Edwards injected plenty of firepower — with a double and homer — into Caney Valley’s offense. Mackenzie McCabe added a double, single and three RBIs. Libby Thompson finished 2-for-3 and M.J. Hines delivered a double.

McCabe also clocked in with a gritty effort in the pitching circle, battling through a 12-hitter with five walks, seven strikeouts and eight earned runs. She faced 43 batters.

Caney Valley, which is coached by Andy Fox, steadily improved during the preseason.

——

Other

Four area schools with new head coaches all endured tough openers in road losses Monday.

Dewey, looking to quickly break-in a new mix of talent, dropped a 4-2 decision at Adair.

This was just Dewey’s third regular season loss in two years. Last year, the Lady Doggers bolted to a 31-2 regular season mark on their way to a spot in the Class 3A state semifinals.

But, they graduated six seniors — all starters/main contributors — off that squad and are breaking in a new pitching battery, defensive landscape and batting order.

Barnsdall fell, 12-4, against a Pawnee program that finished 17-11 last season.

Thad Hewitt made his unexpected debut as Nowata head coach in an 18-3 loss at Fairland. During the offseason, Hewitt departed from Oklahoma Union High to take the head girls basketball job at Nowata.

But, when the softball position came open at a late date, Hewitt — who had coached the sport for many years at Oklahoma Union — stepped in.

Speaking of Oklahoma Union, the Lady Cougars lost their first game, 13-4 at Hominy, without Hewitt at the helm.