OKMULGEE - The Henryetta Lady Knights earned their second-straight shutout victory over an Okmulgee County opponent here on Tuesday evening.

The Lady Knights, who began their 2018 fastpitch season with a 13-0 win over the Preston Lady Pirates Monday in Preston, improved to 2-0 on the year with a 9-0, run-rule, decision over the host Okmulgee Lady Bulldogs.

For the second straight game, Henryetta head coach Ryan Swallow watched his starting pitcher toss a one-hit shutout.

On Monday, freshman Avery Miller allowed just one hit, while striking out three and walking none in four innings of work.

On Tuesday, Coach Swallow handed the ball to freshman Kasedi Gobin. The 'rookie' hurler, who also plays second base when not in the circle, allowed a leadoff single in the bottom of the first and allowed just one other Okmulgee hitter to reach base in the five-inning contest - a leadoff walk in the third.

Gobin struck out three in her five-inning, complete-game, shutout win.

The Lady Knights will return to action today (Friday) and Saturday with competition at the annual Beggs Fastpitch Softball Festival. The Henryetta squad will begin their festival action Friday at 4:30 p.m. against the Kansas Lady Comets. The Lady Knights will conclude their first day at the 2-day event at 6 p.m. against Red Oak. Both of Friday's contest will take place on the North Field at the Beggs baseball/softball complex.

Saturday's festival schedule for the Lady Knights will be 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. against Tishomingo and 11:30 a.m. against Spiro. The first game against Tishomingo will be played on the North Field, while the second game against the Lady Indians, as well as the Spiro contest, will be played on the South Field.

In Tuesday's county showdown, both teams were able to get their leadoff hitters on base in their half of the first inning, but both runners were left stranded at third to leave the game scoreless after one inning of action.

Jalynn Joslin began the contest with a leadoff single to center. Joslin moved into scoring position with a successful stolen base attempt, then moved to third on a wild pitch. After Bailee Worlow lined out to starting pitcher Nyah Robol for the first out of the frame, Avery Miller drew a walk to put runners at first and third with one out. The early scoring threat for the Lady Knights ended as Kasedi Gobin grounded into an inning-ending double play.

In the bottom of the first, Kailey Ward reached on a well-placed bunt. Ward's leadoff infield single was the only base hit for the Lady Bulldogs in the contest. Ward moved into scoring position with a stolen base, then moved to third when Naudia Lane grounded out for the second out of the inning. Ward was left stranded at third, as Malaki Hedrick was retired to end the scoring threat.

The Lady Knights broke the scoreless tie with two runs in the top of the second. Lexi Lollis reached on a 1-out infield single, then advanced to third on Kaylie Hamric's double to left. Hulleah Wincle loaded the bases for the visitors after reaching on a fielding error, then Jenifer Denton drove in Lollis for the game's first run on an RBI bunt single. Hamric came across to make it a 2-0 Henryetta lead after scoring on a wild pitch.

The Lady Knights were unable to add to their lead in the top of the second, as Okmulgee shortstop Mia Munden made an outstanding juggling catch in shallow center field, then fired to second for the force out and complete the inning-ending double play.

A one-out double by Avery Miller, followed by a 2-out single to center by Katelyn Dwiggins pushed the Henryetta lead to 3-0 after two and one-half innings of play.

The Lady Bulldogs had a chance to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third, as Munden drew a leadoff walk. Munden advanced to second following a well-placed sacrifice bunt by Molly Gardenhire, then moved to third on a groundout by Ward that was fielded by the Lady Knight second baseman. The scoring threat ended with Robol flying out to left to leave the score at 3-0, in favor of the visitors.

The Henryetta diamond squad pushed their lead further out of reach in the top of the fourth, plating four runs in the frame to now lead 7-0.

The Lady Knights put a runner at third with one out in the top of the fifth when the game was halted for a 30-minute lightning delay.

After the delay, the Henryetta ladies plated two runs in the top of the fifth, then set down the Lady Bulldogs in order in the home half of the inning to walk away with the 9-0, run-rule, victory.

Gobin got the start in the circle for the Lady Knights and went the distance to earn the pitching decision. The freshman right-hander allowed no runs on one hit, striking out three and walking one in five innings of work.

The top hitter for the Lady Knights was Joslin with a 3-for-4, 1-RBI, performance. All three of Joslin's base hits came on singles, including an RBI single in the fourth.

Dwiggins (2 for 3, 2 singles, RBI), Hamric (2 for 3, single, double), and Denton (2 for 2, 2 singles, RBI) each had a multi-hit game for Henryetta in the win with two hits apiece.

The other base hits for the Lady Knights in the county contest came on singles by Gobin and Lollis. Senior Brittani Hembree drove in one of the two runs in the fifth for Henryetta with an RBI groundout.

Other baserunners for HHS were Miller (walk), Hembree (error), Hamric (error), Denton (walk), and Hulleah Wincle (error, walk).

---Henryetta 9, Okmulgee 0

Henryetta -0-2-1-4-2 9-12-0

Okmulgee-0-0-0-0-0 0-1-3

Winning Pitcher: Kasedi Gobin

Losing Pitcher: Nyah Robol

Home Runs: None