HEADED TO STATE: Ladycats sweep Burleson Centennial
May 24—The Aledo Ladycats put up a dozen runs on 15 hits to power past Burleson Centennial Thursday and clinch a trip to the state tournament.
Aledo carried a 6-2 lead through six innings, before tacking on another run in the seventh, with an RBI double by Ana Flores to score Delaney Rosser.
Two outs later, the Ladycats saw their biggest advantage, 8-2, following a sacrifice fly from Kyleigh Pawlak to score Rosser.
The Centennial bats erupted in the bottom of the sixth, with six hits — including a homer — to score five runs and cut the deficit to one, prompting a change on the mound.
Aledo secured the final out of the inning, then immediately got to work on offense.
Kennis Marx took her fourth pitch of the at-bat and launched it over centerfield for an opening homer. Not to be outdone, Taylor McKean followed on her third pitch, sending the ball over the left field fence for the second home run.
Centennial got its second out of the seventh, but the Ladycats kept their foot on the pedal — Flores welcomed in the new Spartan pitcher with a two-run homer to left field, bumping the lead up to 12-7 and securing the sweep with the win.
Flores was 3-for-5, scoring three runs and batting in four on the night. Addie Perry also went 3-for-5, with two runs and two RBIs.
Game 1, played Wednesday night with a delayed start due to weather, was all about the battle of the pitchers.
Brenlee Gonzales threw the complete game, giving up only four hits and striking out 11 of the 26 batters she faced. and walks? Nada.
Aledo's two runs on the night, which proved to be the difference, both came in the bottom of the second. Pawlak kicked things off with a triple, scoring moments later after a fielding error on Gonzales' ground ball to third.
Grace Heath, who entered as a courtesy runner for Gonzales, would cross home plate on an RBI single by Rylee Marx.
Perry and Pawlak lead the team with each going 2-for-3.
The 5A state semifinals begin May 31.
