Shiner St. Paul earns state softball final berth
Friday, May 13, 2016
Victoria Advocate Sports
VictoriaAdvocate.com | State Championship Game | St. Paul Lady Cardinal Softball | St. Paul Cardinal Sports Home Page
SWEENY - Hallettsville Sacred Heart had won two of the three previous meetings with Shiner St. Paul, but the Lady Cardinals won when it counted the most.
Shiner St. Paul's Ashlyn Patek is greeted at home plate after scoring on a three-run home run in the sixth inning against Hallettsville Sacred Heart on Friday ( May 13, 2016 ) in Sweeny.
[ NOTE: click on photo to enlarge ]contributed photo
Behind the pitching of Parker Clay, the Lady Cardinals run-ruled the Indianettes 14-3 in a TAPPS Class 2A state semifinal game Friday morning at Sweeny High School.
Clay limited the Indianettes to just three hits, struck out five and walked just one.
"I just tried to throw high, inside fastballs and throw strikes," Clay said. "Our defense played very well behind me."
Clay also had two hits and drove in a run.
St. Paul (13-6) defeated Sacred Heart 16-12 in the regular-season finale and St. Paul coach Lance Giese said victory gave his team confidence. "We needed that win to know we could beat them," Giese said. "We've been playing well ever since and Parker's pitching was excellent. We made some errors, but in the end it didn't hurt us."
The Lady Cardinals collected 10 hits and also were helped out by a couple of key Indianette errors. Ashlyn Patek went 3-for-3 including a three-run homer and scored four runs, while Grace Irvin added two hits and had three RBI.
Briana Haas, Kaitlyn Nieto and Brianna Noska accounted for Sacred Heart's hits, all singles.
Sacred Heart, which ended its season at 9-4, didn't have much traffic on the bases and stranded five baserunners.
St. Paul scored its first run in the bottom of the second. After three consecutive walks to load the bases, Patek scored on a wild pitch.
Sacred Heart took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third. Haas led off with a single and continued to second after the ball got by the centerfielder. Hailey Steffek put down a bunt and an error on the play scored Haas before an infield hit by Nieto got Steffek home.
The Lady Cardinals took the lead for good with a three-run bottom of the third. Irvin led off with a walk and Sadie Morgan lined a single to left. Both runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Clay and Irvin scored on an error and Patek ensued with a base hit. Trinity Kusak then hit a 3-2 pitch to left for a big two-out single to chase home two runs.
An error opened the flood gates for a four-run fifth for the Lady Cardinals. Delynn Pesek walked, Patek singled and Kusak was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Riley Johnson's fly ball to center was mishandled for a three-base error to score three runs and the fourth scored on an Irvin single.
Kaylin Dworsky scored Sacred Heart's final run in the sixth on a wild pitch before the Lady Cardinals ended the game prematurely in the bottom of the inning. Parker led off and Patek followed it with a crushing a home run over the left field fence. Three walks led to a two- run single by Irvin, and after Morgan walked, a single by Clay ended the game.
The Lady Cardinals will meet Lake Jackson Brazosport Christian - a 10-8 winner over district opponent Pasadena First Baptist Christian - in the state final at noon Saturday.
TAPPS 2A STATE SEMIFINAL: Shiner St. Paul 14, Hallettsville Sacred Heart 3 123 456 R H E HSH 002 001 -- 3 2 3 SSP 013 045 -- 14 9 2 W: Parker Clay. L: Briana Haas. Highlights: (SH) Haas 52/3 IP, 14 R, 3 ER, 6 K, 9H, 10 BB, 1-for-3, R; Brianna Noska 1-for-3; Hailey Steffek 0-for-3, R, RBI; Kaitlyn Nieto 0-for-3, RBI; Kaylin Dworsky R. (SP) Clay 6 IP, 3 R, ER, 7 K, 2 H, BB, 1-for-4, 2 RBI; Riley Johnson 1-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI; Grace Irvin, 2-for-3, 2 R, 3 RBI; Sadie Morgan 1-for-4; Delynn Pesek 0-for-3, 2 R, RBI; Ashlyn Patek 3-for-3, 4 R, HR, 2 RBI; Trinity Kusak 1-for-1, 2 RBI; Irena Fikac R; Anna Adamek R; Trinity Garza 2 R. Records: HSH (9-4); SSP (13-6). St. Paul advances to state championship game.
|
|
|
| Shiner St. Paul second baseman Anna Adamek, right, races in to catch a pop up as Hallettsville Sacred Heart's Kaylin Dworsky, left, looks on. | Shiner St. Paul's Parker Clay winds up for a pitch against Hallettsville Sacred Heart in the TAPPS 2A state semifinal on Friday, May 13, 2016 in Sweeny. | Hallettsville Sacred Heart's Kaylin Dworsky scores on a wild pitch in the sixth inning. |
© Copyright
BaerCom - Shiner, Texas 2016
