Stratford comes up short; Wren wins softball crown

Class AAAA Softball

LEXINGTON — Lynn Hicks couldn't even finish a sentence about star pitcher Stephanie Saylor's three-hitter before she was doused with a full bucket of ice water.

Between adjectives such as wonderful and amazing, the Wren coach, in her 25th season, celebrated her and the school's first softball title. Behind Saylors' 11-strikeout performance, Wren beat Stratford, 4-0, on Friday at White Knoll High School to win the Class AAAA state championship.

After losing Game 1 at home, Wren won Game 2 at Stratford and Game 3 here to win its last six games on the road.

"To be in this spot and know they worked hard and know that everybody came through from top to bottom — complete team effort, complete team effort," Hicks said. "We couldn't ask for anything else."

Added junior catcher Karlie Whitt, "It's insane, it really is crazy, because we made history."

Throughout its playoff run, Wren enjoyed production throughout the lineup. But it got two hits each Friday from sophomore third baseman Taylor Elrod and junior catcher Karlie Whitt, who bat seventh and eighth in the lineup. Those hits scored two runs in the fourth inning, and that proved to be all the cushion Saylors needed. Stratford aided Wren's output with three errors that frame.

"It was us making our errors," Stratford coach Debra Tolar said was the difference between Game 1's win, and Game 3. "We make three errors in one inning, they get two runs out of that inning, confidence goes down on our side, confidence goes up on their side. Then all of a sudden pitches they weren't getting before get hit."

Saylors (22-5) retired 12 batters in a row from the third to the seventh, and allowed only five base-runners for the game.

"She was really focused — she was ready to go," Whitt said. "Her balls were really moving real well."

The only run Saylors needed was scored by senior left fielder Mallory Kuykendall, who joined the team last summer after moving from Memphis, Tenn. Kuyken-dall, who was the only senior in the starting lineup, celebrated with her twin sister, Kelsey, who missed the season with a neck injury, but was in the middle of the celebration.

"It's been a huge goal my whole life to win a state championship," Mallory Kuykendall said. "It's amazing. I love these girls with all my heart and I'm so glad I moved here."

Another blow came in the fifth when junior right fielder Marilyn Newman hit a two-out, two-run double, scoring juniors Chelsea Hawkins and Ericka Harris.

Tolar, who returns the bulk of her roster along with Wren, said she wouldn't be surprised if the teams met next season. But for now, the Knights needed some time to digest the loss.

"Just as any loss in life or sport, they'll have to take time," Tolar said. "If they walked off this field not feeling hurt, that would be a bigger tragedy. The fact that they are hurt means that this meant a lot to them."

WP—Stephanie Saylors; LP—Caroline Pastre.

Records: Stratford (32-5), Wren (26-5).