Aledo’s 2023 softball season didn’t go quite the way the Ladycats hoped it would.
That’s true of most things in life. Something else that is also true in life is that there is a lot of beauty in the journey even when the destination is yet to be found.
So it was for this season.
“This was a successful season in my eyes,” Ladycats head coach Heather Myers said. “No, we didn't make it as far as we wanted or expected. But, that's part of the beauty of this game. You just never know. I really loved seeing the girls come together as a team. They all truly seemed to enjoy each other and worked hard for each other day-in and day-out.”
Surrounded by a supportive group of seniors, the Ladycats finished the season with a 26-6-1 overall record. The season had a lot of ups with very few downs sprinkled - most in early in the year and, of course, there was the stunning early playoff exit in the second round.
Once district play came around in late February, the Ladycats were locked in and on their way to yet another league title.
Starting on Feb. 28 when Wichita Falls Rider came to town, Aledo ran roughshod over every other team in District 5-5A. By the time the Ladycats put away Granbury in the season finale, they’d secured the top spot in the district heading into playoffs with a perfect 12-0 record.
The Ladycats’ district winning streak was extended to 30 games. The last time they dropped a league contest was 5-4 at Granbury on March 12, 2021.
Hoping to catch lightning in a bottle, Trimble Tech made the trip to Aledo for the bi-district round of the playoffs. Instead, the Lady Bulldogs were blown away by the storm that was Taylor McKean on the mound. McKean threw a perfect game, striking out 14 of the 15 batters she faced in a prolific performance by the sophomore right-hander.
Meanwhile, the Ladycat offense overwhelmed Trimble Tech. Aledo put up 11 runs in the first inning before tacking on another four partway through the second frame.
With the game well in-hand the Ladycats began using at-bats to work on fundamentals. The game ended after Trimble Tech came up empty in the top of the fifth thanks to the run rule as Aledo advanced to the area round of the playoffs.
Unfortunately, that’s where the Ladycats lost the trail on their journey back to the state tournament, which would have been a third consecutive season. Although Aledo beat Richland 8-1 early in the season in a tournament, the Lady Royals had their number when it mattered. The Ladycats were swept out of the best-of-three series by scores of 3-1 and 6-2, respectively.
Speaking of the heartbreak her team felt following the loss to the Lady Royals, Myers stated, “One of the best moments, though, was after we lost to Richland. We had made it back to the school and me, Coach (Kendall) Sifuentes and a few of the seniors just went up and sat on the field looking at the sky. It was a tough day for all of us, but that moment of just sitting there with my girls is something I'll never forget.”
To say the Ladycats were solid on the diamond would be an understatement. In total, a dozen Aledo players earned all-district honors for their play on the field this season. Junior pitcher and Oregon State commit, Brenlee Gonzales was named the District 5-5A Most Valuable Player. On the mound she went 9-2 with a 1.94 ERA this season. At the plate, she ended the year with a .431 batting average in 58 at bats.
Senior hurler Nathalie Touchet was named Co-Pitcher of the Year for District 5-5A. The Mizzou signee went 11-1 while toeing the rubber this season with a 0.70 ERA.
Ladycat shortstop, Reagan Davis earned all-district honors as the Offensive Player of the Year. In 88 plate appearances this season she hit .412 and scored 31 runs for Aledo. Davis will attend Ole Miss this fall.
Freshman second baseman Delaney Rosser was named All-District Newcomer of the Year. Her maiden voyage in varsity action was a good one. In 95 plate appearances she hit .390 with 23 RBI while scoring 24 runs herself.
Receiving first-team all-district honors for the Ladycats were Presley Hull, Ana Flores, and Addie Perry. The lone senior of that trio, Hull, will attend Tarleton State University now that her high school career has concluded.
A trio of Aledo players also made the second-team all-district list. Texas Ray (Tulsa University), Claire Byars, and Maddy Jarvis (Oklahoma State University) all received recognition for their play in their respective senior campaigns.
McKean and Allison Mallard received honorable mention recognition in the district. McKean was the third pitcher in a stalwart rotation for Aledo this season. Mallard began the season battling a significant ankle injury before she was able to put together an excellent three-game set late in the year.
As the Ladycats say goodbye to a significant number of senior leaders, there are a lot of questions around what Aledo’s diamond gals will look like next season.
“We are very blessed with talent,” said Myers. “We will see when the time comes who will be where. There are a lot of moving parts and things to look at when 70-percent of the starting lineup graduates. One thing is for sure, we will be stronger than many people anticipate.”
As far as what the graduating seniors meant to the program, Myers did not withhold her adulation in the least.
“We did have several seniors this season. Most have been on varsity since their freshman year, and many had earned a starting role by their sophomore year. Being that young and competing at such a high level isn't always easy, but they handled it with grace and grit,” Myers said. “By the time they were juniors there was no more fear of playing on the big stage. It was fun to watch that transition. The maturity that came with it was incredible.
“To say they will be missed is an understatement. Their leadership and ability to create and maintain a positive team atmosphere will be missed the most. The underclassmen have had some of the best role models in these seniors. We can already see that a lot of that has rubbed off on them. [I’m] very thankful for that.”
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