Oakdale softball expects big things this season

Oakdale softball expects big things this season
 In their second season at the helm of Oakdale softball, head coach Alycia McDaniel and assistant coach Benjamin Jones are optimistic about the state of the team coming off a trip to the playoffs for the first time last season.
 "We're excited about this year coming up," Jones said before the season. "We should have a pretty well-rounded team this year, and we're expecting to win more games than last year. Last year we were 15-16, so one of our goals is to get on the winning side and go farther in the playoffs than we did last year."
 "I am very excited about this upcoming season and hope that we all work hard and pull together to have a successful year," McDaniel said. "We have a very young team but the girls have what it takes to have a very prosperous year. They not only have the ability to win big, but with the new split we are even more motivated to go big." 
 "My goal for this season is to finish the season with a winning record and make a deep playoff run," McDaniel added. "I think we have a great coaching staff that all meshes well together and will help to bring the girls as far as we can to the top."
 In doing so the Warriors will look toward their two senior captains Darien Phillips, who has signed to play for Baton Rouge Community College, and Skylar Chambley for leadership and will look to Kassi Tichy to relieve some of the load on Brianna Hargrove at pitcher. 
 The Warriors were doing well starting the season with a 3-0 record. "Our girls were on fire hitting bombs and everything," McDaniel said. The team cooled off since then losing the next three games including the first two district games against Rosepine and Bunkie. 
 Oakdale got a run in the top of the first as Cheyenne Fruge reached base on an error and came around to score. Brianna Hargrove walked the lead off batter in the bottom of the inning. The run then scored on the first of two Oakdale errors in the inning. Bunkie plated another run to take the 2-1 lead.
 Lauren Holmes singled with one out in the top of the second inning. She then stole second base and advanced to third on a wild throw before scoring the tying run as the pitch got away from the Bunkie catcher. With one out in the top of the third, Phillips tripled and scored on Hargrove's double as Oakdale took the lead. Hargrove in the bottom of the inning gave up a run as Bunkie tied the game at three. 
 The game remained tied until the bottom of the fifth. Diamony Thompson singled with two out, and Madeline Ducote then hit a ball that rolled to the wall for a two-run inside-the-park home run. Each team was then retired in order in the sixth inning. 
 In the top of the seventh, Alana Guillory and Holmes were retired for the first two outs of the
inning. McKenzi Richmond then singled and stole second base, but Marley Gilley struck out to end the game.