Panama girls lose to Red Oak in Lady ’Back Classic's loser's-bracket final; Lady Eagles avenge earlier loss to Savanna to win title contest

August 22, 2012

RED OAK RAMPAGE — Red Oak's Myranda Rowland, left, slides into third base as Panama third baseman Hannah Goines, right, awaits the throw during Monday night's loser's-bracket final in the 2012 Lady ’Back Classic in Panama. Watching the play are Panama pitcher Taylor Eaves, back right, and first baseman Kali Crase, back center. The Lady Eagles won four games, including beating Savanna 7-0, to win the championship. PDN photo by David Seeley

PANAMA — The Panama Lady Razorbacks softball team will have to wait another year to try to win their own fast-pitch tournament.
The Lady Razorbacks lost 8-2 to the Red Oak Lady Eagles in the loser's-bracket final of the 2012 Lady ’Back Classic on Monday night. The game was to have been played on Saturday, but the entire final day's worth of games were rained out and made up on Monday.
As for the Lady Eagles, they ended up winning four games on the day and night, capping it off with a 7-0 victory over the Savanna Lady Bulldogs in the title game to win the Classic.
This game epitomized the situation which has come about due to one of the latest Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association rulings, stating that no softball or baseball games can begin after 9 p.m. Because Red Oak beat Savanna, there would have been a second title game — since it was the Lady Dawgs' first loss of the tournament. However, since the second title game would have started between 9:30 and 10 p.m., it could not take place. So, both teams decided to play a winner-take-all title game.
Red Oak staved off elimination the entire night, beating Keota (9-0) and Spiro (3-0) before beating Panama.
The Lady Bulldogs stayed alive one time, beating fellow LeFlore County rival Pocola 9-6 in the loser's-bracket quarterfinals.