Broken Arrow's softball team carries a 35-0 record into the OSSAA Class 6A state tournament, where the Lady Tigers face Bartlesville at noon Thursday, Oct. 15, at FireLake Ball Fields in Shawnee.
The Lady Tigers are seeking their first state fast-pitch championship since 2009.
The Tulsa World reported the bracket Monday, Oct. 12, with Broken Arrow drawing Bartlesville in the quarterfinal round. The full Class 6A bracket, published by The Oklahoman, sets Thursday's four quarterfinal games: Choctaw vs. Moore at 10 a.m., Broken Arrow vs. Bartlesville at noon, Mustang vs. Southmoore at 2 p.m. and Piedmont vs. Enid at 4 p.m.
If Broken Arrow advances, the Lady Tigers would play the Choctaw-Moore winner in Friday, Oct. 16's semifinal at 10 a.m. The championship game is Saturday, Oct. 17, at 10 a.m.
The Lady Tigers have been dominant all season. Through 29 games in late September, Broken Arrow had outscored opponents 292-35, according to NewsOn6. Only four of those wins came by three runs or fewer. The team closed the regular season and regional tournament without a loss, beating Westmoore 14-3 on Thursday, Oct. 8, to reach the state bracket, according to MaxPreps.
MaxPreps ranks Broken Arrow No. 1 in Oklahoma's Class 6A and No. 6 nationally.
Pitcher and third baseman Kinslee Cottner and infielder Macee Flusche have been key contributors for head coach Randall King's squad. In a Sept. 23 interview with NewsOn6, King credited the team's defensive identity as the foundation of its unbeaten run.
"I think they know that defense is really important. When you play good defense, and you get good pitching, you're in every game," King told NewsOn6 in September. "And I think we've got enough bats to help us there."
King said at the time that he felt no pressure heading into the final stretch. He described the moment as an opportunity for his players and said the Lady Tigers would be in good shape if they played to their standard.
First pitch against Bartlesville is noon Thursday, Oct. 15, at FireLake Ball Fields.
