Bronco Softball beats Walnut Grove 2-1; rematch with Melissa on deck

By Tony Adams

The Lake Belton Broncos and Prosper Walnut Grove embarked in a one-game winnertake-all Region Semifinal playoff on Friday in Alvarado.

Lake responded to an early deficit with a tying RBI double by Madison Naser and eventual game-winning RBI single by Brysen Gott. Madison Ruiz did the rest in the circle with a 12-strikeout performance to lift the Broncos to a 2-1 win over Walnut Grove.

“I thought we did a great job staying composed,” Lake Belton head coach Kelsie McEachern said. “With the stress of a one-game playoff and then getting behind early, I thought that we were doing good things so I was not too concerned early. They made the push to come back, and I am very proud of them.”

The Wildcats’ first threat to score came in the first inning, when Lyndsey Hooker doubled to start the inning. Ruiz induced an Emma Berlage fly out to Naser at first base, a swinging strikeout by Vivian McKernan, and pop out by Kailee James to Alexis Ortiz at second base to end the inning.

Penelope Robles was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the second. Robles stole second base and advanced to third on the throw that leaked into centerfield, and scored on a error to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.

Ortiz’s single with one out started Lake’s rally in the third. Madison Perkins advanced Ortiz to first on a groundout that JoJo appeared to beat out at first. With two outs, Naser’s liner down the right field line scored Ortiz, and landed at second. Two pitches later, Gott drilled a line shot off the base of the left centerfield wall that scored Naser to give Lake their first lead of the game, 2-1.

Two-out walks to Perkins and Naser set up a solid scoring opportunity for Lake in the top of the fifth. Gott’s deep fly ball to right center was chased down by Robles to end the inning.

Hannah Adkins led off the bottom of the inning with a double. With one out, Hooker was intentionally walked. Ruiz induced a pop fly by Berlage and struck out McKernan to end the Wildcats’ threat.

Lilliana Herrera doubled with two outs in the top of the sixth, but was stranded.

After having issued a leadoff walk to James, Ruiz struck out Roble, Lauren Robinson, and Naomi Redman to end the sixth.

There was a 15-minute rain delay in the top of the seventh, as the umpires directed the teams off the field as a rain squall made its way over Alvarado.

In the bottom of the seventh with two outs, McEachern directed Hooker to be intentionally walked for a second time, which put the potential tying run on first base.

“We knew that she was their best player coming in,” McEachern said. “If we ever got in a situation, we were going to put her on and let someone else try to beat us. It happened to work out twice in our favor. Maddi did a great job in staying composed, knowing that we were going to do that.”

Berlage lined out to Ortiz at shortstop to end the game.

Naser had two of Lake’s five hits and scored a run along with Ortiz.

Ruiz pitched a complete game victory, having pitched seven innings, allowed an unearned run on two hits, struck out 12, walked five and hit a batter.

Hooker took the loss for Walnut Grove having pitched three innings, allowed two runs on four hits, walked one and struck out one. Adkins pitched four innings in relief, allowed one hits, struck out two, and walked two.

With the 225’ outfield, Perkins, Addison Sims, and Alaysha Williams used their speed to cover a ton of ground throughout the night, with Perkins running down to balls by the base of the centerfield wall.

“We knew that it was going to be a deep ball park,” McEachern said. “We knew some hitters that we were going to have to play deeper with. I’m especially of Jo (Perkins) who chased down two balls that would have been gone at other parks.”

The win for Lake Belton (34-3) sets up Class 5A Division 1 Region 2 final with the Melissa Cardinals (33-0), who walloped Midlothian in a two-game sweep where they outscored the Panthers, 29- 1. It is a much-anticipated rematch of the two schools from the Class 5A State Semifinal from 2024, a game that Melissa won 4-0 on their way to a Class 5A State Championship.

“We are going to fight and compete, no matter what and no matter who it is,” McEachern said. “Last year left a bitter taste in our mouth, and we do have some returners from last year’s team. So they know that feeling. We are going to be hungry, we are going to make sure that we do our homework and are ready to go.”

Game one of the series will be on Wednesday in Alvarado at 7 pm. Game two will be in Cleburne at 7 pm. If a game three is needed, it will be played in Alvarado at 1 pm.