When the season began in January with the first scrimmage, head coach Heather Myers and the Aledo Ladycats had one goal in mind: get back to Austin, and win. They got one step closer with a regional semifinal sweep over Abilene Wylie, winning 14-2 and 7-3 late last week.
The Ladycats (31-2) will face the Lubbock Monterey Lady Plainsmen (35-4-1) for the Class 5A Region I crown and a trip to Austin on the line. All games will take place at Abilene Christian University, with Game 1 starting at 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 26. Game 2 is set to start at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 27 with Game 3 immediately following if needed.
The series matches two of the state’s top five teams in Class 5A, according to the Texas Girls Coaches Association rankings. Aledo is No. 3 and Monterey is fifth.
Two long win streaks are also on the line. Aledo has won 22 consecutive and Monterey has 16 straight.
The Ladycats bring one of the stingiest defenses and pitching staffs in the state into the series. Aledo has posted 12 shutouts and a dozen other times they’ve surrendered a single run.
On the other hand, Monterey has one of the state’s most explosive offenses. The Lady Plainsmen have scored in double digits 26 times, including 15 or more runs a dozen times.
Last season the Ladycats advanced to the state championship game before falling 4-1 to Barbers Hill. It was their first trip to state since three consecutive appearances between 2013-15, which included state championships in 2014-15 with coach Jeff Lemons.
Aledo got off to an electric start against Wylie (23-9). Texas Ray was responsible for the first run when she singled in Macy Graf. Seven runs scored in the second inning, sparked by a solo home run by Ana Flores, and topped off with a three run home run by Madysen Boutwell, making it an 8-0 game.
Kayleigh Smith was the starting pitcher for the first game and, despite giving up a pair of runs in the third inning, settled in nicely as she only allowed three hits.
Graf knocked in the ninth Ladycat run when she singled to score Maddy Jarvis. Five more runs in the fourth inning put the game out of reach. Smith put down the Bulldogs in order to close out the game in the fifth inning, 14-2.
“I felt like we were super prepared,” Myers said after the series. “I felt that the girls went in there and they attacked. It was nice.”
Game 2 was not as easy for Aledo as the first. The Bulldogs took a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning, making it the first time the Ladycats had trailed since April 12 against Azle.
Aledo responded with four runs in the second inning. Again, Wylie came back with a run in the bottom of the inning, making it 4-2.
After the Bulldogs scored again in the third to make it 4-3, Myers turned to Brenlee Gonzales to come in for relief of Nathalie Touchet.
“Nathalie is a great pitcher,” Myers said. “Sometimes you’ve just got to go with your gut. I felt like we needed to put Brenlee in and she finished well.”
The Ladycats finally scored again when Graf singled in Reagan Davis, followed by two more runs in the sixth inning. Gonzales finished the game without allowing another Bulldog run, sending Aledo to its second consecutive regional final.
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