Rockwall Lady Jackets only one win away from returning to state softball tourney
May 23—Rockwall girls 10
Waco Midway 0
MIDLOTHIAN — Rockwall bounced back from a 4-3 loss in game one on Wednesday to blank Waco Midway 10-0 on Thursday in game two and send their Region II-6A softball regional finals to a deciding game three.
The two teams are scheduled to meet again at 1 p.m. on Friday at Midlothian. Another win sends Rockwall to the state softball tournament for the second time since 2021.
Ainsley Pemberton fired a three-hitter for Rockwall in the 10-0 victory, striking out four and allowing one walk.
Presley Brott homered in the second inning for Rockwall and Rylie Swindall drove in two runs with a triple. Swindall, Ava Wallace and Laci Larsen pounced two hits each to lead Rockwall and Swindall and Brott both drove in two runs. Kennedy and Rachel Lawyer both had hits. Lawyer scored two runs and Abrianna Kennedy scored one run.
Rockwall, now 31-8-1 for the season, snapped Midway's 23-game winning streak.
Waco Midway girls 4
Rockwall 3
MIDLOTHIAN — Waco Midway scored a run in the eighth on a single by Lanee Brown to beat Rockwall 4-3 on Wednesday in game one of their best-of-three Region II-6A softball final series.
The loss snapped a 21-game winning streak for Rockwall.
Laci Larsen homered for Rockwall and Ava Wallace drove in a run with a double.
Jayden Sadler led Waco Midway with two runs batted in.
Ainsley Pemberton went the distance for Rockwall on the mound, allowing four hits and three earned runs. She walked one and struck out 12.
Wallace and Rylie Swindall both pounded two hits for Rockwall, which also collected hits from Taylor Minor and Abrianna Kennedy.
Rockwall girls 2
Oak Ridge 1
Rockwall swept Conroe Oak Ridge, 9-1 and 2-1, to win in the region semifinals and move one series victory away from heading back to the state softball tournament for the second time since 2021.
Ava Wallace and Presley Brott both pounded three hits to lead Rockwall in the 9-1 win. Brott drove in three runs. Wallace scored two runs and had an RBI. Rylie Swindall and Chloe Phe both pounded two hits and scored two runs.
Phe, Laci Larsen and Abrianna Kennedy also drove in runs and Savannah Ford, Taylor Minor and Kennedy also scored runs.
Ainsley Pemberton scattered seven hits to claim the mound win. She allowed one earned run and one walk and struck out six.
Pemberton limited Oak Ridge to six hits, one walk and one earned run in the 2-1 win, striking out three.
Lawyer drove in the game-winning run in the seventh with a single. Wallace drove in Rockwall's other run in the fourth with a double. Minor and Phe both had two hits and scored the two runs. Kennedy also had a hit.
Midway entered the series with a 22-game winning streak, having gone 12-0 to win the District 12-6A title. The Pantherettes swept Waxahachie (6-0, 11-7), Rowlett (12-2, 15-1), Mansfield Legacy (3-1, 11-7) and Bridgeland (19-4, 10-0) in their four playoff series.
The Lady Jackets headed into the series with a 21-game winning streak.
State Softball Playoffs
Class 6A bi-district
One game: Rowlett 4, Rockwall-Heath 3.
Best-of-three: Rockwall 13, Sachse 3; Rockwall 7, Sachse 0.
Class 6A area playoffs
Best-of-three: Rockwall 1, Mansfield Lake Ridge 0; Rockwall 5, Mansfield Lake Ridge 4.
Class 6A regional quarterfinals
Best-of-three: Rockwall 6, Wylie 4; Rockwall 10, Wylie 2.
Class 6A regional semifinals
Best-of-three: Rockwall 9, Conroe Oak Ridge 1; Rockwall 2, Conroe Oak Ridge 1.
Class 6A regional finals
Waco Midway 4, Rockwall 3; Rockwall 10, Waco Midway 0; Game 3, 1 p.m. Friday, Midlothian.
