OKLAHOMA CITY – When the Mustang Broncos look back on their 2024 state championship run, their title game win over Southmoore will always stick out.
But a 15-12 comeback victory over the top-ranked Choctaw Yellowjackets in the state semifinals was the momentum boost the Broncos needed for the 6A final.
Mustang scored four runs on five hits and two walks in the bottom of the sixth inning, erasing a 12-11 deficit to take their first lead of the game on Tuesday at USA Hall of Fame Stadium.
A leadoff homer by Arionna McElory (Sr.) tied the game at 12-12, followed by RBI-singles from Madeline Rush (Jr.) and Lexy Kierstead (So.) to take a 14-12 lead. Reese Poage (So.) made it 15-12 with a bases loaded walk.
“A lot,” Mustang coach Lacy Darity said of how much momentum the Choctaw win gave her squad going into the state title game.
“That was the last game on our revenge tour. They were the other team that had beaten us this season, so we knew it would be tough. They’re a really, really good team and their coaches do a great job over there.”
The Mustang Broncos celebrate after defeating Choctaw 15-12 in the Class 6A state semifinals on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at USA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City. The Yellowjackets were one of three teams to beat Mustang during the 2024 regular season. (Photo by Ron Lane / Lane Images)
Choctaw (March 14), Moore (April 5), and Southmoore (March 11) were Mustang’s only losses this season, which were all avenged on Tuesday.
The Yellowjackets looked strong early, scoring five runs on six hits, including a leadoff home run by Payton Carrillo. The Broncos quickly answered, plating four runs on five hits, including homers by Eden Anderson (Sr.) and McElroy.
The senior duo put up a monster performance. Anderson went 3-for-3 with three homers and five RBI while McElroy went 4-for-4 with three bombs and four RBI.
Choctaw extended its lead to 11-7 after scoring four runs in the second inning and two in the third.
Anderson hit her second homer of the game in the bottom of the second inning – a two-run shot that cut the Yellowjacket lead to 9-6. McElroy hit a solo bomb in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit to four runs.
Choctaw’s bats started to slow down while Mustang’s started to heat up in the fourth inning.
After holding the Yellowjackets to just one run on a solo homer in the top half of the frame, the Broncos cut their lead to 12-11 with four runs on five hits and two walks. Anderson hit her third homer in the inning while Nyli Brown (Jr.) hit her first.
Emerson Pegram (Sr.), who recorded her second win of the day in the circle, helped her own cause with an RBI-single.
“It was one of those things where we knew they were the team we had to get past to win this thing,” Pegram said. “We got past our biggest opponent, so that kept the momentum rolling.”
Reese Fixico (Fr.) jumps to the sky as Mustang scores a runs against Choctaw in the Class 6A state semifinals on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at USA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Ron Lane / Lane Images)
Pegram held the Yellowjackets scoreless over the final three innings. She allowed 13 hits with four walks in the victory.
The Broncos moved to the state title game with their four sixth inning runs.
“We put everything we had on that field,” Anderson said. “It was our toughest game, and we knew it was going to be. We knew that if we beat them, we were going to win the whole thing.”
Mustang finished with 20 hits, including six players with at least two.
Kierstead went 4-for-5 with one RBI and two runs while Pegram went 4-for-4 with an RBI. Brown went 2-for-5 with two RBI and one run. Rylann Beeson (So.) collected two hits with one run and one walk.
“We knew that if we just stayed the course and rode the wave, we would be good,” Darity said. “We knew they would score some runs early, but we never hung our heads and never pouted. We just kept plugging away.
“I had a feeling if we got the lead late in the game, we had a good shot of winning it. Fortunately, that’s what happened.”
