EUGENE—Sherwood softball has been in the mix for the state championship for years. And year after year, the Bowmen saw early exits in the state tournament. They just couldn’t get over the hump and get to the state championship.
That all changed on Saturday. Not only did Sherwood make it to the Class 6A state title game at Jane Sanders Stadium, the Bowmen blew ahead late for a 10-6 win over North Medford for their first state championship.
“It feels amazing. I feel amazing,” said senior pitcher Destiny Cornwell. “We finally did it.”
Cornwell started in the circle for the Bowmen. In three innings, she allowed three hits, no walks and no runs while recording no strikeouts. Freshman Presley Sarono-Ramos came in for relief starting in the fourth inning. In 2.2 innings, she allowed three hits, four runs (three earned) and walked two while striking out five.
Cornwell was subbed back in in the top of the sixth inning as momentum seemed to be on the side of North Medford. A 4-0 lead for Sherwood vanished into a 4-4 tie game.
In Cornwell’s second trip to the circle, she allowed three hits and two runs (both earned) and walked one while striking out one. As she walked back out onto the field, she said she knew exactly what she needed to do to get the job completed.
“Just pitch for the girls,” she said. “That’s all. I shouldn’t be a selfish pitcher and try to get a strikeout. Just throw ground outs and pop flies. Just be the pitcher that’s there for my team.”
With Sherwood’s dueling pitcher situation, Cornwell said she has learned a lot about being a team player and being able to stay calm knowing that someone is there to help her out.
“Amazing. I feel happy that I have a girl right behind me to pick me up,” Cornwell said. “I feel happy that I’m right there for her when she needs somebody to pick her up as well. It’s just taught me like for the next steps in my life that someone is there to pick me up.”
Junior outfielder Maisy Schindler was a difference maker for the Bowmen, launching two home runs that seemed to shift the momentum in the favor of Sherwood. In three at-bats, she recorded four RBIs and scored two runs of her own.
“I’m super excited. This is the first state title and the first time we made this far,” Schindler said. “I’m so happy for my team and my seniors.”
Sherwood got on the scoreboard quickly, as Maisy Schindler popped a 3-1 pitch over the left field wall for a no-doubt solo home run in the bottom of the first inning. Jordyn Henderson then hit a triple out to center field. She scored on a wild pitch at the following at-bat to make it a 2-0 lead.
The Bowmen added to their lead in the bottom of the second inning, Later in the inning, Hollie Maughan scored on a fielder’s choice after Daisha Cornwell laid down a bunt. Then Schindler popped a sacrifice fly out to center field to score Maddie Wright.
North Medford finally was able to respond in the top of the sixth inning. Maili Hamlin popped a single out to center field. At the next at-bat, she stole second and advanced to third base on an error. Then Maleyah Thoele dropped a successful bunt single to score Hamlin. Caileigh Raines then hit a single out to center field to score Natalie Tlascala. Julia Edwards tied the game up at 4-4 with a double out to left center field, scoring Riley Smalley and Raines.
After being held scoreless for three innings, Sherwood finally woke back up in the bottom of the sixth inning. Maughan hit a double out to right center field to score Berklee Henning, retaking the lead for the Bowmen. Maughan then stole home, as Camryn Knight thought she had ball four to draw a walk. The umpire called the strike late as Maughan crossed home plate unimpeded. Then Daisha Cornwell hit a single over the first baseman to score Wright. Schindler then put the game out of reach with another deep home run over the center field wall to score two more runs as the lead ballooned to 9-4.
“There was two outs so I just really wanted to move the runner as best as possible. But I obviously still had to get on,” Schindler said. “I was just trying to hit ground ball, ground ball, line drive and it missed and it went over the fence, luckily for me.”
Even when things looked to be in the Black Tornado’s favor, Schindler said she was confident that the Bowmen could break the game back open with their bats.
“We knew we could do it. We knew we could hit her,” Schindler said. “In the first two innings, we got two runs right away and that’s four runs. We could do it again and we all know that that was just the start of a new game for us.”
The action wasn’t over, as McKenna Parmalee popped a double out to the right center field wall to score Henderson.
North Medford did find some more offense in the top of the seventh inning, as Tlascala hit a double to score Hamlin and Jaycee Russell-Tyler.
Julia Edwards got the start for North Medford. In 5.2 innings, she allowed seven hits, seven runs (three earned), walked two and struck out one.
Saturday was the second meeting between the two teams this spring. Sherwood beat North Medford 8-1 on May 20 in the final game of the regular season.
Looking back at their first match up, Cornwell said she knew Sherwood could not let up against South Medford.
“They never give up,” Cornwell said. “Never give up. We could be up by as many runs as we want and they’ll still never give up. They fight really hard against us.”
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Nik Streng
covers high school sports in Oregon. Reach him at
nstreng@oregonian.com
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@NikStreng
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Sherwood blows ahead late, bests North Medford for Class 6A softball state championship
Sherwood blows ahead late, bests North Medford for Class 6A softball state championship
Sherwood blows ahead late, bests North Medford for Class 6A softball state championship