Rockwall Lady Jackets sweep Wylie in softball playoff rematch, advance to fourth round
May 10—Rockwall's 28-7-1 Lady Jackets, who reached the Class 6A state softball tournament for the first time in 2021, have advanced to the region semifinals of the 2024 state playoffs.
Rockwall swept Wylie 6-4 and 2-0 in a rematch in the region quarterfinals, to advance to the fourth round of the playoffs to face 31-4 Conroe Oak Ridge, which won its regional quarterfinal game, 15-1 over Klein Collins.
Rockwall outlasted Wylie 6-4 in an ordeal in game one. The game went 11 innings and was delayed by the weather conditions.
Rachel Lawyer and Ava Wallace both homered to lead Rockwall at the plate. Taylor Minor went 4-for-5, including a double. Wallace, Minor and Lawyer all drove in two runs and Wallace scored two runs.
Rockwall pitcher Ainsley Pemberton went the distance, allowing only two hits over the 11 innings with four walks and 12 strikeouts.
Macy Alewine and Aubrie Gunther both homered for Wylie.
Lawyer, Wallace and Presley Brott all homered for Rockwall in the 10-2 win. Lawyer and Brott both drove in three runs. Wallace drove in two. Brott and Chloe Phe both had two hits.
McKinley Mann and Pemberton shared pitching duties for Rockwall. Mann gave up six hits and one earned run in four innings with four strikeouts. Pemberton allowed three hits and one earned run in three innings with two strikeouts.
Last year Wylie outlasted Rockwall in a three-game series in the softball region quarterfinals.
Rockwall also swept Mansfield Lake Ridge 1-0 and 5-4 in their area playoff series.
Pemberton shut out Lake Ridge on four hits in the 1-0 victory. She did not allow a walk and struck out nine.
Phe drove in Rylie Swindall with a sacrifice fly for the game's only run in the third inning. Swindall reached base on a triple.
Brott led Rockwall at the plate with two hits. Savannah Ford, Minor and Lawyer also had hits.
Lawyer slugged two hits, including a home run in the 5-4 win. Wallace also pounded two hits. Minor, Abrianna Kennedy and Phe also had hits.
Oak Ridge entered the softball playoffs as the top seed from District 13-6A. The War Eagles beat Houston Nimitz 11-1 in the first round and Waller 11-9 in round two.
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
Rockwall vs. Conroe Oak Ridge.
