After running away with the final two games of the regular season against Azle and Granbury, Aledo’s Ladycats (24-5-1 overall, 12-0 in District 5-5A) ran away with the No. 1 seed heading into the playoffs.
On Wednesday, April 19, the Ladycats treated Azle to a 13-1 drumming on Senior Night. They followed up that performance by plundering the Lady Pirates, 10-0, in the season finale on Friday, April 21 as Brenlee Gonzales pitched a no-hitter.
Gonzales struck out seven and issued no walks. Were it not for an Aledo error no runner would have reached base.
Both games ended early with Aledo up by 10 runs or more at the end of the fifth inning invoking the run rule.
Senior hurler Nathalie Touchet took the mound for Aledo on Senior Night in the final regular season home game of her high school career. Aside from her lone mistake on the night that ended up being a solo home run for the Lady Hornets in the top of the first inning, Touchet spun a gem in the circle. She tossed all five innings, giving up just the one hit, while walking a pair. Her five strikeouts in the game put her at 100 on the season as she crossed the threshold of 300 in her career as a Ladycat.
The story of Aledo’s excellence in execution at the plate hasn’t changed over the season. In the final two games of the year, the Ladycats continued to manufacture runs virtually at will by stringing timely hits together with runners scattered around the bases.
On top of the hard-hit line drives to the gaps, extra-base hits have been bountiful over the past week. Ana Flores picked up a double against Azle and Granbury. Reagan Davis blazed around the bases for a triple against Azle. Addie Perry and Brenlee Gonzales each earned a triple in the season finale at Granbury. Presley Hull motored around the bases for a triple in each contest, as well.
With the final games of the 2023 schedule out of the way, the Ladycats look ahead to the playoffs with their eyes and aspirations set on a third consecutive run at the elusive state championship.
The Ladycats reached the championship game in 2021 before falling to Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill and were eliminated in the semifinals last season by Georgetown in eight innings.
The last time the Ladycats weren’t involved in the state championship discussion was during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Prior to that, Aledo brought home the hardware in 2008 before going back-to-back in 2014 and 2015.
The Ladycats enter this playoff run with a chip on their shoulders, looking to end the eight-year title drought. From pitching to hitting, defense to baserunning, the Ladycats are peaking at the right time as they enter the 5-5A tournament picture with a single goal in mind.
Aledo carries a 17-game winning streak into the postseason. In their perfect district run (they’ve now won 30 straight in league play) this season they outscored their opponents 141-8 with six shutouts.
Friday, April 21
Ladycats 433 00X X - 10 7 1
Granbury 000 00X X - 0 0 3
Aledo hitting: Addie Perry 1-for-2, 3B, BB, SB; Claire Byars BB, 2 RBI; Presley Hull 1-for-3, 3B; Texas Ray 1-for-3, RBI; Brenlee Gonzales 1-for-3, 3B, RBI; Ana Flores 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI; Delaney Rosser BB; Maddy Jarvis 1-for-2; Reagan Davis 1-for-2, RBI.
Aledo pitching: Brenlee Gonzales 5.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K.
Azle 100 00X X - 1 1 4
Ladycats 306 4XX X - 13 10 1
Aledo hitting: Davis 3-for-4, 3B, 3 RBI; Byars 1-for-3, BB, 2 RBI; Hull 1-for-2, 3B, BB, 2 RBI; Ray 1-for-3, RBI; Flores 1-for-3, 2B, RBI; Rosser BB, HBP; Chloe Cox BB, RBI; Nathalie Touchet HBP; Jarvis 1-for-3.
Aledo pitching: Touchet 5.0 IP, H, R (earned), 2 BB, 5 K.
The Ladycats will play a one-game bi-district game at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 27, at home against Fort Worth Trimble Tech.
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