The Aledo Ladycats story ended with a sting on May 29 playing in the state final against Barbers Hill.
The Ladycats lost by run rule 11-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, as a Lady Eagles player hit a walk-off grand slam to end the game early.
The result is a tough one, but on paper it was not implausible. Barbers Hill was last year's state final runner-up, losing to the nationally ranked best team in the country in Melissa. All year both teams were ranked among the nation’s best and it looked like a collision course between the two was inevitable until Aledo upset the Lady Cardinals last week.
Aledo thought it had a chance — after no one gave the team a shot against Melissa, why couldn't the Ladycats pull off another upset on the biggest stage?
Barbers Hill was a different challenge. The Lady Eagles star player was their pitcher Macie Bryant, a junior that already has an accolade list that could go on for minutes already. Barbers Hill was good all around, but after facing the scary long ball of Melissa, Aledo hoped it could keep the Lady Eagles in check in what was thought to be a low-scoring game.
Cracking Bryant proved to be as tough as it looked on paper. Four of the first six outs were strikeouts for Aledo as everyone's first shot through the lineup showed how tough it was going to be.
Pitcher Tempe Perry has been a magician all playoffs long for the Ladycats, getting herself out of jams time and time again with clutch outs that either prevented runs or minimized damage almost every game.
Some of that same magic showed itself in the second inning. After loading the bases with two outs, Perry got out of the jam with a ground out to the shortstop for out three as the score stayed scoreless heading into the third inning.
After the bottom of Aledo's lineup failed to do any damage against Bryant, Barbers Hill batters got some things going. The Ladycats committed a fielding error at first base that allowed the lead runner to get on. A batter later, back-to-back doubles drove in two runs as the Lady Eagles took a 2-0 lead.
Aledo did prevent another run. A single into left field saw outfielder Kennedy Cardenas throw the ball into third baseman Kyleigh Pawlak who rallied it to catcher Breleigh Mayer, who got the tag on the runner at home plate for out three.
The Ladycats went into the fourth inning still feeling good after a defensive play. With everyone in the lineup having one at-bat against Bryant, surely adjustments would be made and the team would start rallying once a base runner got on.
Unfortunately, Aledo's top of the lineup were struck out as the Ladycats’ offense, who were putting good at-bats together, just could not solve Bryant.
Barbers Hill started the bottom of the fourth inning with a leadoff double and following a strikeout hit a single, with the runner advancing to second base as Aledo prevented the lead runner from coming home. The next batter hit a sacrifice fly ball to score one run.
The next play there was some controversy. A ground ball to third base was thrown to first base, but the close call was called safe. After some disagreement, the runner advanced to second base after seeing no one covering it. The throw was not in time, but through the confusion, the runner on third base then advanced home before any Aledo players could notice.
Two more base hits followed as the Lady Eagles loaded the bases up, but the next batter flew out to deep left field for out three, but Aledo was trailing 5-0 heading into the fifth inning.
The Ladycats’ first two at-bats saw the team put the ball in play to make the defense work a bit, but just could not make good contact as Aledo again could not get a base runner on.
The Ladycats defense did not start the inning great with a leadoff single and walk. A ground ball to the shortstop resulted in an error as the throw to third base was not on target. With the bases loaded and no outs, Perry was going to have to dig into her hat for some big magic tricks to get out of this jam.
Unfortunately, an RBI single followed by a walk scored two runs before the premature end to the game came. A grand slam over the center field wall ended the game via the run rule, 11-0, in jubilation fashion for Barbers Hill but in anguish for the Ladycats.
It is a tough way to go out in the state championship game. Every high school player dreams of making it there. Losing is tough, but losing in one-sided fashion is even more so, especially for a school like Aledo. Not much went right for the Ladycats to think back fondly on this game in any way.
Still, sports is not all about winning. The ride getting to the state championship game was fun for both players and fans. All of the daily things between games for people on the team the public is not privy to. The hacky sack before games, the temporary tattoo sessions, getting Braum’s after playoff wins. These and more are the things the players will remember when they think back on their high school softball days more so than a tough loss in the state final.
"Even though this isn't the outcome we wanted, it was still a heck of a job getting to the last game of the season," coach Heather Myers said. "We work hard for this and it sucks to get run-ruled. At the end, it’s just a game. If we aren't having fun, why are we here?"
For six players, four of whom played in the state final but all had spent time as starters this season, the state final was their last high school game. Kyleigh Pawlak, Delaney Rosser, Kellyn Overturn, Breleigh Mayer, Lily Heckathorn and Jordyn Edington will move on to college since all are signed somewhere for softball, but Mayer hopes the bitterness of this last game will not stain their memories.
"I'm going to miss them tremendously," Myers said. "I want them to take this loss and remember losing shows you where you can grow. Failure just fuels progress."
Myers hopes this loss for her returning players fuels them as the Aledo moves up to the 6A classification and the challenge does not become any easier.
"I don't want them to forget how this feels," Myers said. "It sucks to lose. I hate losing more than I love winning. But when you forget what it feels like to lose, I feel you lose a piece of the game. Losing is just as big a part of a game as winning. If you don't know how to lose, you don't know how to love the game. I want them to feel it in their soul and come back next year with even more passion."
Aledo pitching: Tempe Perry (L) four innings, 12 hits, 11 runs, nine earned runs, two strikeouts, five walks.
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