ABILENE – Following the Aledo Ladycats softball team’s 12-0 shutout victory over the Frenship Lady Tigers Friday night at Abilene Christian University’s Wells Field, there was one dominant thought flowing through the minds of many of the players and coaches from Aledo – a third time’s a charm.
For the third year in a row, the Ladycats advanced to the Class 4A, Region I final, and this year, they hope to erase two years of heartache.
"We sure hope third time’s a charm," said Aledo head softball coach Kevin Cook. "If there is anything in that saying, I hope that it is true."
The Ladycats had their foot on the gas and never let up. Defensively, the Ladycats were near perfect, with only a lone single in the top of the fifth by Frenship’s Meagan Low representing the only blemish to Canion’s dominating performance. Canion faced a total of 16 hitters and struck out 11 of them. She also recorded three innings in which she struck out the side.
"Early in the season, we saw a lot of heat, but in our district, we see 45 to 50-mph fastballs, at the most, so it is hard to go from slow to fast, and you cannot simulate that in practice," said Frenship head softball coach Robby Dickenson. "It is hard to get your timing down."
While the game will be remembered by many for Canion’s pitching performance or Aledo’s hot hitting, including Haylee Bell’s walkoff 3-run homerun, the game turned on a defensive play in the top of the second.
Down only one run, the Lady Tigers were in desperate need of a break. It looked as if they were going to get one against Canion when Amanda Bermea sent the ball sailing down the first base line into the outfield for an apparent base-hit. Right fielder Katie Denny snagged the ball on one hop and delivered a strike to the outstretched glove of Christina Kelly at first base for the third out of the inning, robbing Frenship of their first potential base-hit.
"We needed a little bit of confidence to think we could put it in play," Dickenson said. "It probably gave them a little more confidence and deflated us."
The Ladycats used that momentum changer to their advantage, as the bottom half of the lineup produced three runs on four hits and one walk to make it 4-0.
"When we score like that, it is hard for us to get beat," Canion said.
The Ladycats face district rival Joshua in the regional finals this week with the time and site to be determined.
Aledo 12, Frenship 0
WFHS 000 00 — 0 1 1
AHS 130 35 — 12 16 0
Canion and Cook; Piersall and Combs. W – Canion (28-0). L – Piersall. 2b: (ALE) Cook, Pittman, Denny. 3b: (ALE) Samuelson. HR: (ALE) Bell. SB: (ALE) Samuelson; (FRE) Low. CS: (ALE) Samuelson. Record: Aledo 35-1-1; Frenship 21-16-1.
Sports
Aledo hopes for third-time charm after 12-0 blowout
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