A week after having to play small ball to walk off against Joshua in the Class 5A Region I quarterfinals, the Aledo Ladycats brought the big bats with them to Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls on Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 18.
A home run by Marina Taveras and a pair by Brenlee Gonzales helped Aledo sweep Lubbock Monterey by scores of 7-1 and 5-4, respectively, as they advanced to the Region 1 Final.
The Ladycats will face Burleson Centennial in a best-of-three series with a trip to State on the line. The series kicked off on Wednesday, May 22, when the Ladycats hosted Centennial for Game 1. Game 2 moved to Burleson Centennial High School on Thursday. If necessary, Game 3 will start at 10 a.m. Friday, May 24 at Cleburne High School.
The Ladycats dominated Game 1 in every way imaginable. Texas Tech-commit, Gonzales was electric in the pitching circle for Aledo. Gonzales pitched a complete game, holding a stacked Lubbock Monterey lineup to just two hits while striking out nine. The lone run of the contest for Monterey came in the top of the seventh inning due to an error, and was therefore recorded as unearned.
Inversely, Aledo had no issues when it came to putting runs on the board. Addie Perry led off the bottom of the first with a double to left, immediately putting the home team in an advantageous position. Delaney Rosser singled to right to drive in Perry from second. Aledo took a 1-0 lead after just two batters stepped in the box.
Following a quick double-play, Taveras blasted the 0-2 offering over the wall in left for a solo homer that put the Ladycats up 2-0.
Not content to just keep runs off the board while toeing the rubber, Gonzales accounted for three RBI and a run of her own as part of a two-run blast over the right-field fence in the bottom of the third as the Ladycats cruised to a Game 1 win.
Game 2 was much more competitive. A three-run top of the fourth for the Ladycats ended up being the difference maker in the 5-4 victory, handing Aledo their ticket to the Region 1 championship series.
Gonzales stayed red hot at the plate on Saturday, homering in her first plate appearance to give Aledo the early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning.
Leading 2-1 to start the fourth inning, Monterey quickly earned a pair of outs with a walk to Gonzales being the only thing Aledo had to show for their trip to the plate to that point. However, that just ended up being the start of a two-out rally that secured the game for the Ladycats.
With Gonzales all but stranded at second, Ladycat hurler Taylor McKean singled to center, bringing Gonzales around to score, giving Aledo a 3-1 advantage. Jordyn Edington drew a four-pitch walk to put Ladycats at first and second.
As the lineup turned over, Perry singled on a ground ball that found a way through the infield and into center. Perry rounded first bound for second when she got tangled up in a rundown. She ended up being tagged out attempting to retreat to first to end the inning, but not before both runners ahead of her scored, as Aledo took a 5-1 lead.
Lubbock Monterey rebounded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut the lead to 5-3, as McKean’s day in the circle came to an end after another solid performance. She struck out 11 batters, gave up three hits and allowed two runs across 4.2 innings of work.
Monterey refused to go quietly, as the bats came alive in the bottom of the seventh. With Gonzales dealing inside the circle, the Lady Plainsmen scored a run to make it 5-4 in favor of the Ladycats. With two outs in the inning and the bases loaded, Gonzales showed her NCAA Division I talent to get a swinging strike on the payoff pitch in a situation where her team needed her to come up big and close out the game.
At Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls
R H E
Monterey 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 - 1 2 4
Ladycats 2 1 3 0 1 0 x - 7 9 3
Aledo hitting: Addie Perry 1-for-4, 2B, SB, R; Delaney Rosser 2-for-2, BB, RBI; Ana Flores 1-for-1, BB, 2 R; Marina Taveras 1-for-2, HR, RBI, R, BB; Kyleigh Pawlak 1-for-3, R, 2B; Brenlee Gonzales 2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, R; Rylee Marx 1-for-3, R; Jordyn Edington SB.
Aledo pitching: Gonzales 7 IP, 2 H, R (0 earned), BB, 9 K.
R H E
Ladycats 0 1 1 3 0 0 0 - 5 6 4
Monterey 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 - 4 5 0
Aledo hitting: Perry 1-for-3, BB, 2 RBI, R; Rosser HBP; Flores 1-for-4, RBI; Pawlak 1-for-3; Gonzales 1-for-2, HR, BB, RBI, 2 R; Taylor McKean 1-for-3, RBI; Edington 1-for-1, BB, HBP; 3 SB; R.
Aledo pitching: McKean 4.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R (2 earned), 3 BB, 11 K; Gonzales 2.1 IP, 2 H, R (earned), 0 BB, 3 K.
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