CATLIN — Pictures, pictures and more pictures.
That was the scene Saturday evening at the Catlin softball field as the Salt Fork Storm won its first regional title since 2019 with a 7-4 victory over the Milford/Cissna Park Bearcats.
“This was a great team victory,’’ said Salt Fork senior Kailey Frischkorn. “I’m close with every single girl on this team and I have to get my picture with every one of them.
“I’m just so proud of this team for all of the hard work that we put into this season.’’
The celebration was well-deserved for the Salt Fork upperclassmen, who went 19-27 in their two previous seasons.
Frischkorn went 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Fellow senior Kendyl Hurt was the winning pitcher while going 1-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI while junior Macie Russell went 1-for-3 with two runs scored.
“Our upperclassmen have been great leaders all the way through,’’ said Salt Fork coach Kalyn Learnard. “They showed today great leadership and they were the ones that got things going for us.’’
Especially in the sixth inning with the score tied 4-4.
Russell led off with a triple to right field that turned into a Little League home run on an errant throw to third base allowed Russell to score the go-ahead and eventual game-winning run.
But the offense didn’t stop there for the Storm (24-8-1).
Hurt followed with another triple and she scored on a groundout by Karli McGee. The Storm would add a third run in the inning as Frischkorn doubled to left and scored on a single by Kenzie Childs, who went 3-for-4.
“Kenzie had been struggling. We talked at practice and we finally got her to change her bat,’’ Learnard said. “Now, I know that the bat doesn’t make a difference, but even if it was a mindset change, she came through for us when we needed it.’’
Earlier this season in Milford, the Storm saw leads of 2-0 and 4-3 turn into a 6-5 loss to the Bearcats, so Learnard admittedly didn’t relax until the final out was made.
“They are a really good hitting team,’’ she said, noting that Milford/Cissna Park scored three times in the fourth on two triples and a two-run homer. “I didn’t feel like three runs was enough going into that seventh inning.’’
Hurt finished the victory with a strikeout, followed by a successfully executed run-down play for the final out.
“That was crazy,’’ said Frischkorn, the right fielder. “I was running as hard as I could into the infield to help with the pickle situation.’’
Salt Fork advances to the Tuscola Sectional where the Storm will play Heyworth Hornets tonight at 6:30 p.m.