Lake Travis freshman leads Cavaliers past district rival Bowie in 1-game softball playoff
DRIPPING SPRINGS — Lake Travis' Juliana Rodriguez pitched an eight-inning complete game, allowing six hits and one run, as the Cavaliers beat district rival Bowie 2-1 Friday night at Tiger Stadium. Rodriguez, a freshman, added three hits and drove in her team's first run.
Madison Pinzon's sharp single in the bottom of the eighth brought home Kamdyn Ingram with the winning run. Lake Travis (25-13) advances to the regional tournament after avenging a pair of District 26-6A regular-season losses to the Bulldogs two weeks ago. The Cavaliers will face Weslaco in the Region IV-6A semifinals.
"It was a great team win," Lake Travis coach Kaycee Taylor said. "I'm so proud of this team and their resiliency and grittiness to find ways to keep winning games."
The Cavaliers won a pair of extra-inning games in the area round last weekend over San Antonio Madison when Rodriguez pitched 19 total innings. She looked ready for Bowie's powerful offense Friday night.
“Juliana is just a freshman, but she has done an amazing job for us this year,” Taylor said. “She is one of the hardest-working, most competitive players I have coached. She has such great energy and poise in the circle. She is a true competitor.”
Lake Travis scored in the bottom of the third when Rodriguez drove in leadoff hitter Jayden Cortez for a 1-0 lead. Rodriguez and Bowie pitcher Kate Bookidis traded scoreless frames until the sixth, when Bowie's Cadie Hays' home run evened the game 1-1. The Cavaliers broke through in the bottom of the eighth when Ingram collected her second hit of the game and came around on Pinzon's hit.
Alyssa Lusk had two of Bowie's hits, and Josie Busceme, Cecilia Alvidrez, Bella Nungaray and Hays had the others. Lake Travis managed nine hits, led by Rodriguez's three.
Austin-area playoff results
Class 6A
Cedar Ridge vs. Schertz Clemens — Clemens 4, Cedar Ridge 3 (9); Clemens 3, Cedar Ridge 2 (Schertz Clemens wins series 2-0); Lake Travis vs. Bowie — Lake Travis 2, Bowie 1 (Lake Travis wins series 1-0, will face Weslaco in regional semifinals)
Class 5A
Liberty Hill vs. Smithson Valley — Smithson Valley 5, Liberty Hill 1; Liberty Hill 11, Smithson Valley 0; Liberty Hill 8, Smithson Valley 7 (Liberty Hill wins series 2-1, will face Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial in regional semifinals); Leander vs. Hays — Leander 3, Hays 1; Leander 3, Hays 1 (Leander wins series 2-0, advances to regional semifinals)
Class 4A
Gateway College Prep vs. Salado — Gateway 12, Salado 2; Salado 6, Gateway 0; Salado 7, Gateway 1 (Salado wins series 2-1, advances to regional semifinals); Burnet vs. Waco Robinson — Robinson 1, Burnet 0; Robinson 10, Burnet 5 (Waco Robinson wins series 2-0, advances to regional semifinals)
Class 2A
Thorndale vs. Thrall — Thorndale 5, Thrall 4; Thorndale 5, Thrall 1 (Thorndale wins series, will face Weimar in regional semifinals)
TAPPS
State tournament: Hyde Park vs. Victoria St. Joseph, 10:30 a.m. Monday, UT-Arlington (state semifinal)
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Lake Travis beats district rival Bowie to advance to regional tourney
