State semifinal softball: Aledo, Denton Guyers’ seasons end in dramatic fashion, more

The UIL high school softball Class 5A and 6A state softball semifinals are here. Friday’s final three games were scheduled to take place at Red and Charline McCombs Field on Friday but were moved to East View High School in Georgetown due to inclement weather in Austin.

Guyer softball drops 13 inning semifinal thriller to Weslaco

Denton Guyer and Weslaco were locked in an extra innings battle at the UIL softball Class 6A state semifinals at East View High School in Georgetown on Friday.

Weslaco (36-6) finally got a slight edge, scoring two runs in the 13th inning to defeat Guyer 5-3. The Panthers advanced to the title game, which will commence at 4 p.m. Saturday at Red and Charline McCombs Field in Austin.

Guyer nearly pulled the comeback, recording three consecutive two out singles to load the bases. Guyer head coach Keith Medford said he is proud of his team’s effort.

“I’m disappointed in the result, but I’m not disappointed in the kids,” Medford said.

Weslaco has two state tournament appearances and advanced to a championship game for the first time in program history. It was a worthwhile experience for Weslaco softball seniors, who missed their graduation ceremony to compete in the semifinals.

The group was honored on the field following the program defining victory.

Weslaco held a 3-0 lead in the sixth inning when Guyer (37-5) began its comeback. The Wildcats scored three runs in the frame to tie the ballgame. Junior Briana hit a two RBI triple, and senior Kaylynn Jones followed it up with an RBI single.

Medford said his team showed a lot of fight to claw back into the ballgame. He said he’s seen that all season but that Weslaco played a bit better than Guyer on Friday.

“Hats off to Weslaco,” Medford said. “They did a great job tonight.”

Both Williams and Jones finished with four hits while senior shortstop Erin Peterson tallied three.

Sophomore ace pitcher Finley Montgomery kept Guyer in the game with incredible endurance. She threw 208 pitches and 13 innings, allowing five earned runs and keeping Weslaco off the scoreboard for six innings to keep the Wildcats’ hopes alive.

Medford called Montgomery a warrior, who kept the game competitive with a “really good effort.”

“I can’t say enough about her,” Medford said. “There was no thought of bringing her out. This was her game to win. I’m very proud of her. She fought her tail off like the rest of them.”

Harlingen South stymies Aledo, ends Bearcats’ season in run down

Aledo softball’s season ended in the Class 5A state semifinals in heartbreaking fashion.

To end the ballgame, sophomore Jordyn Edington was caught in a run down after Harlingen South first baseman Kailee Silva bobbled what would’ve been the game ending putout. Edington was tagged out, and the Hawks secured a 1-0 victory over Aledo on Friday at East View High School.

Edington bolted for home but turned around once she realized the throw would beat her. She hit a two out double with Aledo down to its last out, putting her team in a position to tie. It was one of three Bearcat hits in the game.

Aledo head coach Heather Myers declined an interview with the Star-Telegram after the contest.

Harlingen South Will play in the Class 5A state championship at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Red and Charline McCombs Field.

The Bearcats, at the end of the day, could not find an answer to junior Lexi Sandoval, the Hawks’ (36-4) starting pitcher. They had three opportunities with runners in scoring position but could not secure the timely base hit.

Sandoval finished with 10 strikeouts and two walks in 6 2/3 innings pitched. Amira Rodriguez came in for the final at bat, forcing the ground out that eventually resulted in the run down.

The Hawk defense was far from perfect with two errors in the game, but the mistakes were inconsequential. Aledo’s sole defensive error, on the other hand, made a big impact.

In the third inning, Aledo (35-4) shortstop Ana Flores could not make a play on a ground ball, which allowed Rodriguez to reach safely. Emily Ruiz followed it up with an RBI single that paved the way for the victory.

Flores made up for the mistake in the sixth inning, making a diving play to give the Bearcats some momentum heading into their final offensive chance.

Aledo starting pitcher Taylor McKean was not charged with any runs due to the error. She ended the ballgame allowing one hit and striking out 14 batters in seven innings.

McKean put the Bearcats in a position to win with a stellar start, but the Bearcat offense did not provide any run support. Aledo made its seventh appearance in the state tournament while Harlingen South made its first.

Aledo won the District 5-5A championship with a perfect 12-0 district record. The Bearcats entered the state tournament with an eight game win streak, which included two wins over Burleson Centennial.

Melissa bests Lake Belton, advances to 5A state championship

Melissa softball starting pitcher Alexandra Starr’s star power shined bright in a Class 5A state semifinal victory at Red and Charline McCombs Field on Friday.

The Cardinals defeated Lake Belton 4-0 with Starr allowing three hits, zero earned runs and striking out three batters. Melissa will play in the Class 5A state championship at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Red and Charline McCombs Field.

Junior shortstop Caigan Crabtree was the focal point of the offense. She tallied three hits and picked up two RBIs.

Her middle infield counterpart, Amariee Bradford, was also a significant contributor with two hits and and two RBIs. In the bottom of the sixth, she hit a home run to center field to give the Cardinals their last insurance run.