Rusk Lady Eagles Ballpark on Friday, May 17, 2024 –
The Shelbyville Lady Dragons varsity softball team fell by a 10-4 run score in Game 1 of a best-of-three game Texas UIL Softball Region III Semifinal game to the Cross Roads Ladycats. Cross Roads gained a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Brook Locke scored after getting on base with an infield hit. She scored later, on a sacrifice bunt by Ashlynn Cook. Later in the inning, Alanah Logan scored the Ladycat’s second run when Paisley Stockard singled to leftfield. The Ladycats added runs by Adi Coe and Gracie Collin during a short rally in the bottom of the second frame to go up 4-0 runs. In the bottom of the third inning CRHS went up 5-0 when Stockard reached base on a walk and later scored on a double to centerfield by Jadynn Cook.
Shelbyville got back in the game in the top of the fourth inning when Carsey Lovell doubled off the top of the centerfield wall for a single, next Lanie Bass singled to rightfield. A fielder’s choice on a hit by Cadee Harley loaded the bases. A walk by Cori Lawson scored Lovell and a throwing error saw pinch-runner Kenedee Lathan score a second Lady Dragons run which cut the Ladycats lead to 5-2. Before the inning ended Harley alertly scored on a passed ball to cut Cross Roads lead to 5-3.
Disaster struck for SHS when Ashlynn Cook lifted a long fly ball well over the centerfield fence for a 3-run homer during the bottom of the fourth inning which gave the Ladycats an 8-3 advantage. Cross Roads added two runs to their tally with scores from Locke and Logan in the bottom of the sixth frame and they led 10-3.
Shelbyville scored the final run in the top of the seventh inning when Taylor Jones led off the inning with a single to leftfield and Carsey Lovell followed with an RBI double to leftfield which scored Jones. Shelbyville trailed 10-4 and this score proved to be the final for the day.
Alanah Logan pitched the whole contest foe the Ladycats and struck out 5, gave up 8 hits and walked 2. Lanie Bass went the entire contest for Shelbyville and struck out 5, gave up 10 hits and walked 2.
Cross Roads (29-8) and Shelbyville (26-12) will face off again on Saturday, May 18 Game 2 is slated to be at Rusk Lady Eagles Ballpark at 2 p.m. If needed, Game 3 will start 30 minutes after the completion of Game 2.
