MIDLOTHIAN – Flower Mound‘s softball team found out the hard way how difficult the last few outs can be on Saturday when a berth to a state championship game is within reach and how cruel it can be when a team like Waco Midway gets away.
Flower Mound had a 5-1 lead in the fifth inning and was eight outs away from advancing, but a disastrous fifth inning and a couple key plays in the sixth went against the Jaguars and helped Midway escape with a 7-6 win in the third and deciding game of a Class 6A Division I state semifinal series.
In the top of the fifth inning Midway loaded the bases with one out on three walks before Peyton Phillip hit a two-run single to right to cut Flower Mound’s lead to 5-3. Lilly Davis tied the game at 5-5 on a two-run triple down the right-field line and took the lead when Davis’ courtesy runner Natalia Hernandez came home on a fielding error of a Lanee Brown pop up.
“We let it slip away. We didn’t make the plays when we had to,” Flower Mound coach Mark Larriba said. “We did play our hearts out. Bella (Flores) pitched well. We just let too many players on base.”
Flower Mound tied the game at 6-6 in the bottom of the fifth on a controversial call. Espitia was on third base and Jalissa Balderas was on second after a double when Olivia Rains hit a ground ball to Midway shortstop Kallei Alvarado. Alvarado threw to third Raelyn Degeer who tagged out Balderas, but Flower Mound was credited with a run as Espitia touched home before the tag out.
Midway took the lead back for good in the sixth when Camryn Carter hit a double to center and eventually scored on a wild pitch. Flower Mound had a chance to tie it in the bottom of the inning as Daphne Galason hit a two-out single to center and courtesy runner Jacie Jones tried to score from second, with third-base coach Larriba sending her, but Midway center fielder and Baylor signee Harper Haas threw Jones out at home.
“You might second guess that call. I just didn’t know if we would have a chance to score again,” Larriba said. “It wasn’t right straight at the center fielder (Haas) and she had to go to the side. She’s a good outfielder. I was just going to take a chance.”
Flower Mound (27-10-2) was stopped in state semifinal round for the second time, also advancing this far in 2021. Midway (31-3), a five-time state finalist and the 2024 6A state runner-up. advances to the championship game to face League City Clear Springs at 4 p.m. next Saturday at the University of Texas’ McCombs Field.
Midway made a statement in the top of the first when Jayden Sadler smacked a solo homer. The shot by the McLennan Community College commit, went over scoreboard past the left-field wall.
Flower Mound responded in the bottom of the frame, and took command of the contest until the fifth thanks to Avery Brock. The junior third baseman crushed a two-out, three-run homer over the 220-foot center-field wall. Flower Mound got on the board when Adi Bicknell hit an 11-pitch single to center, stole second, went to third on Galason single to left and came home by beating an infield throw on a Flores fielder’s choice.
Flower Mound extended its lead to 5-1 in the third when courtesy runner Gabby Espitia stole third and came home on a throwing error.
Flores (20-6), a freshman and the winner of Game 1 for Flower Mound, took the loss despite a complete game. She allowed six earned runs, eight runs and eight walks while striking out while striking out five. Galason and Flores had two hits apiece while senior catcher Kono Gadt reached base in all three of her at-bats on two walks and getting hit by a pitch.
Phillip, Midway’s lone pitcher for the series, picked up the win, allowing five earned runs, eight hits and one walk. Davis and Amaya Locke had two hits apiece for the Pantherettes.
A silver lining for Flower Mound is seven of its starters on Saturday are coming back, but Larriba said those returners will need to step up to provide the leadership seniors such as Gadgt and Ella Tighe provided.
“This was a good learning experience for the whole program,” said Larriba, who picked up career win 601 on Thursday. “The seniors are the reason our young players made the plays they did, and they will be hard to replace.”
— Rick Kretzschmar
Hallsville 4-3, Grapevine 3-2: Hallsville beats Grapevine twice on Saturday to advance to the state title.
Hope Miles hit a walk-off inside-the-park home run in the seventh to lift Hallsville past Grapevine. She also drove in a run earlier on a sacrifice bunt.
Marleigh Sign and Raegan Stanley had RBI singles for Grapevine. Both pitching staffs combined for just five strikeouts in the tight contest.
After winning Game 1, Grapevine lost its lead in the ninth inning in Game 2 to Hallsville.
Lindsey Dubberly threw a complete game with two strikeouts as Hallsville edged Grapevine in extra innings.
Marleigh Sign and Ashlyn Asaff each had RBI singles for Grapevine. Bella MacMahon struck out six in Game 2.
— Ronald Harrod Jr.
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