All three games ended with the score of 3-2, with the Lady Roos winning game one on April 24 before losing back-to-back games on April 25 by the same score.
Weatherford came in as underdogs. The Lady Roos finished fourth in their district and missed the playoffs last year. On the other side, the Ladycats won their district along with 30 games and were ranked just outside the top 10 in the state in 6A.
Despite that, Weatherford was not intimidated and came out ready to compete in game one. The first three innings were a pitchers’ duel as neither team could get more than one base runner on at a time. The second time around for the Lady Roos’ batters saw the team get on the board first.
Mia Coleman led off with a walk to start the fourth inning. Cassara Perdue then laid down a bunt to move the runner, but was able to beat the throw to first base for a single. Another bunt, this one a sacrifice for out one, moved both runners into scoring position. Following a strikeout for out two, Londyn Martin came through with a line drive single that drove in both base runners.
Weatherford led 2-0.
The Lady Roos added to the lead in the next inning. Jada Martin drew a one-out walk. Next bater Alexa Addison laid down a bunt, but an error at first base allowed Martin to come all the way around to score to make it 3-0.
Weatherford had an opportunity to add more runs as the next batter, Coleman, drew a walk and Perdue hit a single to load the bases with only one out. Unfortunately, a pop out to first base and a strikeout followed.
In the sixth inning, Byron Nelson struck back. A leadoff single came back to bite the Lady Roos. After advancing to second on a groundout and following a strikeout, Weatherford tried to throw the base runner out at second base. An error allowed her to come in and score.
During the same at-bat, the batter hit a single. Next batter hit a triple to drive the base runner in to cut the lead to 3-2, with the tying run on third base with only one out.
The next batter drew a walk to put runners at the corners, but the next batter popped out to second base for out three.
The Lady Roos held on in the final inning to win.
Martin led the team with two RBI. Perdue had a team high four hits. Combined, the two of them had all six of Weatherford’s hits while the rest drew three walks.
On the mound, Kendall Jones pitched six innings and allowed two runs on five hits while striking out five batters.
The close win was a good one for the team in a series not many people outside of Weatherford had given a chance them to compete.
Game two was the next day and it started off well for the Lady Roos. In the first inning, Alexa Addison hit a one-out single followed by Coleman and Perdue getting hit by pitches to load the bases. Joey Fross came through with a single up the middle that drove in two runners as Weatherford led 2-0 early on.
The second inning saw the Ladycats get two base runners on with one out, but Weatherford pulled off an inning-ending double-play to get out of the jam. The Lady Roos in the same inning loaded the bases again with two outs, but could not come through getting anyone home.
In the fifth inning, Byron Nelson had its big inning with the bats starting with a leadoff walk. After an fielder’s choice out at second base, the Ladycats drew another walk. Following a pop out at first base for out two, a single drove in one base runner.
After another walk, the bases were loaded. Facing a full count, the next batter drew another walk to drive in another run. The next batter was facing a 2-2 count was hit by a pitch, driving in yet another run on the base paths as the Ladycats now led 3-2 before getting the third and final out with the next batter.
Weatherford was only able to get one base runner in the final three innings as it could not make up the one run deficit.
Byron Nelson took game two 3-2 to tie the series at 1-1.
Fross led the team with two RBI while Mickenna Adkins and Addison had a team high two hits each. The Lady Roos finished with six hits and were hit by two pitches.
On the mound, Adkins pitched 4.1 innings and allowed one run one three hits.
Weatherford had little time to shake off the close loss, playing the deciding game three 30 minutes after the end of game two.
Just like the previous game, the Lady Roos struck first. In the second inning, Perdue led off with a single. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second base, Katie Chappell laid down a bunt as well. The pitcher committed an error which allowed Chappell to reach first base and Perdue to score.
Following a strikeout, Adkins came through with single to right field that drove in Chappell as Weatherford led 2-0.
That lead held up strong until the fourth inning. Back-to-back doubles led off the inning for Byron Nelson and scored one run. Following an infield pop up for out one, a triple drove in another run to tie the game. The next batter flew out to right field, but it was deep enough to drive in the base runner on third base.
The Ladycats led 3-2.
In the final three innings, the Lady Roos were able to get base runners on in the sixth and seventh inning, but could not get them home.
Byron Nelson held on to win the game 3-2 and the series 2-1.
Adkins drove in one run to lead the team. Weatherford finished with four hits and drew no free bases as a team.
On the mound, Jones pitched four innings and allowed three runs on three hits before Adkins pitched the final three innings allowing no runs on two hits.
It was a tough way to end a season, being so close during both losses and losing the lead in the later innings. Still, there was a lot to be proud of for this team as Coach Jessica Pauls, her first year in Weatherford, says.
“When you play a program of that caliber, you find out a lot about yourself and our girls showed up,” Pauls said. “Every game was a fight, every inning mattered and we never backed down. To go toe-to-toe with a nationally-ranked team and keep it that close says a lot about who we are and what we’re building here.”
The close loss and competing with a program that is used to being in the playoffs and making deep runs hopefully means the team is right there.
“We belong in those moments,” Pauls said. “This team has grit, they trust each other and they’re willing to compete no matter the circumstances. You can’t teach that, you build it over time and I think this series showed just how strong that foundation is.”
The team will lose starters Gracie Hull, Katie Chappell, Jada and Londyn Martin along with bench players Kylie Addison and Morgan Wells, but Pauls hopes she has enough returning to just get started what she has planned for the program.
“It’s hard to think about losing that group, but at the same time, I’m really excited about what’s coming back,” Pauls said. “We have a strong core returning and now they’ve experienced what playoff softball looks and feels like. That’s huge. The expectation in our program is to be a postseason team and now we’re building on that, not chasing it. The future is bright.”
Lady Roos 3, Byron Nelson 2
RHE
W’ford 000 210 0 - 3 6 2
Nelson 000 002 0 - 2 6 2
Weatherford offense: Londyn Martin two hits, one double, two RBIs; Cassara Perdue four hits, one double, one run; Mia Coleman one run, two walks; Jada Martin one run, one walk.
Weatherford pitching: Kyndall Jones (W) six innings, five hits, two runs, five strikeouts, four walks; Mickenna Adkins one innings, one hit, zero runs.
Byron Nelson 3, Lady Roos 2
RHE
Nelson 000 030 0 - 3 4 1
W’ford 200 000 0 - 2 6 1
Weatherford offense: Joey Fross one hit, two RBIs; Alexa Addison two hits, one run; Mickenna Adkins two hits; Jada Martin one hit; Mia Coleman one run.
Weatherford pitching: Mickenna Adkins 4.1 innings, three hits, one run, one strikeout, two walks; Kyndall Jones (L) 2.2 innings, one hit, two runs, three walks.
Byron Nelson 3, Lady Roos 2
RHE
Nelson 000 300 0 - 3 5 1
W’ford 020 000 0 - 2 4 1
Weatherford offense: Mickenna Adkins one hit, one RBI; Cassara Perdue one hit, one run; Katie Chappell one hit, one run; Alexa Addison one hit.
Weatherford pitching: Kyndall Jones four innings, three hits, three runs, one strikeout, one walk; Mickenna Adkins three innings, two hits, zero runs, two strikeouts, one walk.
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