By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- Shawnee Heights' three-year Class 5A sotball title reign came to an end Thursday night with a tough 3-1 quarterfinal loss to Eisenhower at Wilkins Stadium.
But after virtually starting over with a new cast of varsity players this spring after the cancellation of the 2020 season, T-Bird coach Tara Griffith had nothing but praise for her team after it wrapped up an 18-5 campaign.
"I'm so proud of this team," Griffith said. "I don't even know if I can put it into words how proud I am. No one expected anything of us and these girls came together as a team and were just amazing."
Shawnee Heights senior pitcher Mykala Johnico pitched a five-hitter with 11 strikeouts in Heights' 3-1 Class 5A state quarterfinal loss to Eisenhower. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Shawnee Heights missed out on an opportunity to jump in front in the top of the first after loading the bases with no outs.
But Eisenhower pitcher Allyson Montgomery struck out three straight batters to keep Heights off the scoreboard and the Tigers capitalized with two runs in the bottom of the second.
But Griffith said her T-Birds remained confident throughout the game.
"These girls always keep their energy up,'' Griffith said. "Even during the seventh inning, we're down two runs and not one person doubted we could score two right there. That's this team, they're team first the whole way."
Shawnee Heights cut Eisenhower's lead to 2-1 when junior Ariah Durkes doubled to open the third and came home on junior Abby Schulte's single.
Shawnee Heights senior Abby Schulte knocked in the T-Birds' run in a tough 3-1 Class 5A state quarterfinal loss to Eisenhower. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Heights junior Taryn Dial led off the T-Bird fourth with a double and reached third base with one out, but was stranded there.
Montgomery struck out 11 batters in the game and limited Shawnee Heights to four hits.
"I think we hit the ball hard, but we hit it right at people," Griffith said. "I felt we timed her up and handled her, maybe not the best, but had hard hits off her, but right at somebody."
Heights senior Mykala Johnico also turned in an outstanding pitching performance, limiting Eisenhower to five hits while recording 11 strikeouts, but Eisenhower scratched out just enough offense to get the win.
The Tigers scored a run in the second on a bloop single from Carsyn McCue and scored a second run on a hit batsman.
Eisenhower, which improved to 19-4, got its final run on a blooper from Grace Sykora.
"The ball just fell for them today and maybe not so much for us," Griffith said. "That's going to happen sometimes."
Montgomery was impressive in the late innings, retiring the T-Birds in order in the fifth and sixth and working around a one-out walk in the seventh.
