Lexi Dudeczka’s ninth-inning shot to deep center launched the Lady Eagles to the Area round of the 4A softball playoffs with a walk-off triple against the #11 Smithville Lady Tigers April 27.
The Lady Eagles swept Smithville in the double header of the bi-district best-of-three series.
Smithville 7
Salado 8
Salado and Smithville punched it out for seven innings during the second game of their double-header until two-out double to center by Pazlee Conrad in the bottom of the seventh knotted the score at 6-6 and sent the game into extra innings.
Smithville took the early lead in the game, scoring a run in the top of the first. Brooke Otto led-off the game with a single and stole second and scored on a one-out ground out to shortstop by Claire Kennon.
The Lady Tigers added two in the third. Raini Stanley was hit by the pitcher and an error in the field allowed Stanley to score and Otto to turn the corner at first and get all the way to third. Otto scored on a double to center by Nikolette Schmidt for the 3-0 lead.
The Lady Eagles took the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Bri Waters led off with a single followed by a single by Giselle Salazar. A double to deep left scored Waters and moved Salazar to third. Salazar scored on a ground out to second by Dudeczka. Harley Drouillard smashed a double to deep right to plate Giganti for the 4-3 lead.
Smithville retook the lead with three runs in the top of the fifth. Hadlee Ladewig led off with a single and went to second on a wild pitch. Stanley singled to put runners at the corners and Gabby Leal blasted a triple to right to score both runners. Leal scored on a ground out to short by Otto for the 6-4 lead.
With an out in the bottom of the fifth, Waters took the second pitch from Lady Tiger pitcher Marlee Deleon and shot it over the center field fence to narrow the lead to 6-5.
Relief pitcher Brooke McLaurin put the Lady Tigers out three up, three down in the sixth and got herself out of a jam with bases loaded and just one out in the seventh to keep the game close.
Katey Bartek fought for a walk to lead off the bottom of the seventh and was thrown out at second in a fielder’s choice that put Rylee Litchfield on first. The Lady Tigers coach decided he did not want to chance a third home run by Waters so Smithville issued a walk. Courtesy runner Brooklyn Williamson was thrown out at second on a fielder’s choice shot to right field by Salazar to put runners at the corners. Pazlee Conrad doubled to send the tying run across the plate and send the game into extra innings.
Smithville scored a run in the top of the eighth. Ladewig singled to center with one out before McLaurin walked two batters to load the bases. A wild pitch allowed Ladewig to score, but the Lady Eagles were able once again to stop the Lady Tigers with runners in scoring position.
The Lady Tigers got two quick outs in the bottom of the eighth before Drouillard hit a single to right. She went to second on a wild pitch and Bartek walked. Litchfield hit a single to center to score Drouillard and put runners at the corners. The Lady Tigers coach again chose to walk Waters, loading the bases with two outs and the gamble paid off with a fly out to center to end the eighth with the score knotted at 7-7.
Salado’s defense put two batters out in the top of the ninth. Abby Kennon singled but was thrown out at second on the next play to end the frame.
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Giganti singled to right, setting up Dudeczka’s walk-off triple to deep center field for the 8-7 win.
McLaurin got the win for Salado, coming in to the game with one out in the third. She struck out one, walked four and allowed seven hits.
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Salado 16
Smithville 2
Salado Lady Eagles crushed the Smithville Lady Tigers in the first game of their series, ending the game by the mercy rule 16-2. The Lady Eagles had 14 hits in the game while Smithville had six.
Salado scored seven runs in the top of the first. Dudeczka led off the game with a single. Drouillard singled and Bartek walked to load the bases. Litchfield hit a grounder for a fielder’s choice out at home. Waters singled to score Drouillard before an error in the field allowed Salazar to reach second and three runs to score. Conrad singled and and another error in the field allowed Angel Van de Plas to reach second and two more runs to score. Giganti reached on a fielder’s choice that caught Van de Plas. Dudeczka doubled to right to score the runner before the last out was recorded.
Smithville scored a run in the bottom of the first to trail 7-1.
With two outs in the second, Waters knocked the second pitch over the right field wall for an 8-1 lead.
Salado pummeled Smithville for five more runs in the third. With one out, Giganti reached on a fielder’s choice for the first out of the inning. A single by Dudeczka put runners at the corners and Drouillard doubled to plate both runners. Bartek was hit by the pitcher and Litchfield doubled to score both runners. She scored on a single by Waters, who was left stranded when the Tigers got the next two batters out.
Smithville added a run in the third to trail 13-2.
Salado added three more runs in the top of the fourth. Van de Plas led off with a walk, followed by singles by Giganti, Dudeczka and Drouillard to load the bases and plate Van de Plas.
Giganti was thrown out at home for the first out. Litchfield singled to score Dudeczka and Drouillard tagged up and scored after a long sacrifice fly by Waters to center for the 16-2 score.
Both teams went three up and three down in the fifth to end the game.
Waters pitched the entire game for Salado, earning the win. She allowed six hits and walked two. Smithville scored two earned runs against her.
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Elsewhere in District 19-4A:
District 19-4A Champion Lake Belton Lady Mustangs face Manor New Tech, the fourth place team from District 20-4A, in a best-of-three series beginning April 28.
District 19-4A Runner up Taylor Lady Ducks face Giddings, the third place team in District 20-4A, in a best-of-three series beginning April 28.
Gateway Prep, the fourth place team in District 19-4A, face the #7 La Grange Lady Leopards in a best-of-three series beginning April 28.