BINGHAMTON – Hannah Tuttle struck out 13 in a five-hitter, but Windham-Ashland-Jewett lost in the Class D softball finals to Section V champion Oakland-Alabama, 4-1, at Greenlight Grandslam Park in Binghamton on Saturday, June 12.
Hornet sophomore pitcher Savannah Duncan got nine strikeouts and also gave up five hits in the win. Her ability to climb the ladder then drop in off-speed pitches had the Warriors off their normal torrid hitting pace.
O-A took the lead early, when Emma Thompson singled in two runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Windham got a run back in the third as Tuttle singled to score Piper Cohane.
Allison Harkness made it 3-1 in the fourth inning with a triple to the wall. She then scored on a throwing error.
The Hornets made it 4-1 in the fifth inning when Thompson scored on a single by Harkness.
Mikenzie Schoonmaker tripled for the Warriors, which also got two hits from Cohane.
Windham-Ashland-Jewett, the Delaware League and Section IV Class D champion, finished its season 21-1.
For Oakland-Alabama (21-1), it is the first state title in the sport in the school’s history.