Beggs senior Kaci Phelps started out her last season as a Lady Demon with a strong showing both in the circle and at the plate. She would be the catalyst to the Lady Demons 10-5 victory over Class 2A Stroud Monday night at home, earning five RBIs and 10 strikeouts against the Lady Tigers.

There was no contest in the first inning with the Lady Demons taking a 3-0 lead with the help of Phelps and Kaylee Hutton. Hannah Padgett was the first to connect with the ball in the top of the first, hitting a hard ground ball for a single. Phelps followed with her own line drive single to center field, making it to second base on the throw. Padgett would also score the first run of the night for the Lady Demons on the throw, 1-0. A wild pitch gave courtesy runner Morgan Busby the opportunity to set the Lady Demons up to score when another wild pitch allowed Beggs to earn a 2-0 lead.

Up 2-0, Hutton pulled out the big guns to hit a line drive to centerfield for an RBI double. The third run of the inning would put the Lady Demons ahead 3-0 before the Lady Tigers ended the inning catching Brooklyn Angielski stealing to second base.

Phelps delivered strong pitches in the bottom of the second, throwing back-to-back strikeouts to leave the Lady Tigers with just one out. Stroud was then able to read Phelp’s pitches, landing two consecutive singles to put a runner on third base. However, Phelp ended any chances the Lady Tigers might have had of matching up to the Lady Demons’ lead. She threw her third strikeout of the game, leaving Beggs in the lead 3-0 as they entered the second inning.

Despite their strong first inning at-bat, the Lady Demons hit into a double play at shortstop. With a fly ball already on the board, the Lady Demons weren’t able to add any runs to their three-run advantage.

The Lady Tigers failed to utilize any opportunity they might have had in the bottom of the second. Two base hits once again advanced their runners into scoring position, but a previous ground out left them short of any runs. After two singles, the Lady Tigers struck out and then hit the ball right to third baseman Caylee York, who took out a Lady Tiger advancing to third.

The Lady Demons just barely managed to stay in the lead, 3-0, as they stepped up to bat in the top of the third inning. Phelps smacked a ground ball single to center field to get on base. Once again, the Lady Demons turned to their big hitters to garner runs, York tripled on a line drive to right filed while Busby, filling in for Phelps, scored, 4-0. With York poised at third, Hutton sent her home on a base hit to center field.

The Lady Demons were now up 5-0, but the Lady Tigers got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. After earning small base hits in the first two innings, Stroud’s Macey Morris lined a triple out to center field to put her team on the scoreboard, 5-1. Ground outs to Phelps and her fifth strikeout kept the Lady Demons’ lead intact.

Still ahead by four runs, the Lady Demons were slow to get runners across home plate in the top of the fourth. Base hits from Beggs catcher Joely Speer and Haileigh Mill combined with a walk loaded the bases for the Lady Demons.

With runners in all positions, Phelps would add three runs to their lead, hitting a triple out to left field, 8-1. York followed her with an RBI single to put the LAdy Demons ahead 9-1.

The Lady Demons might have garnered an eight-run lead in the top of the fourth, but the Lady Tigers contested it in the bottom fourth. They hit an RBI single to get the ball rolling, 9-2, before Kenlee Parrick hit a two RBI homer for the Lady Tigers.

Going from an eight-run advantage to just five runs, the Lady Demons struggled in the top of the fifth. They hit into two pop outs and a ground out with Padgett earning the only hit of the inning. Stroud managed to cut into the Lady Demons’ lead even further in the bottom of the fifth, hitting an RBI single to put them behind the Lady Demons 9-5.

Seeing their uncontested lead from the first inning diminished just to four runs, the Lady Demons pulled out all the stops in the last two innings. Phelps prevented the Lady Tigers from garnering anymore base hit RBIs, striking out two of their batters. A fly out to Beggs short stop Freedom Hicks also helped the Lady Demons stay ahead 9-5.

In the top of the seventh inning, Phelps helped cement the Lady Demons victory. She singled on a hard ground ball to third base, getting Hicks across home plate for a RBI, 10-5.

The Lady Demons cthe season over the Stroud Lady Tigers, 10- 5. It was a hard fought battle in the middle of the game, but the Lady Demons were able to boost up their defense and stayed in the lead.

Beggs was scheduled to travel to the Lady Bulldogs’ territory Tuesday in Okmulgee. The Lady Demons are also scheduled to play Spiro on Thursday with a game against Barnsdall to follow on Friday.