Georgetown edges Flour Bluff to return to UIL state softball tournament

JOURDANTON — With the pressure of a do-or-die one-game playoff and a berth at the UIL State Softball tournament on the line, neither Georgetown nor Flour Bluff played its best game on Friday.

And each took turns taking advantage of miscues all night until the game was squared going into the sixth.

It was the Eagles that capitalized last, and that was enough to help Georgetown return to the Class 5A state semifinals with a 6-5 win against Flour Bluff at Jourdanton ISD Sports Complex.

The last of six Hornets errors allowed the Eagles to push across the winning run.

"The girls fought back every time and they pulled together at the end," Georgetown head coach Melissa Hall said. "They did a good job of celebrating everything the team did and moving forward as a team."

Ashley Blaylock's leadoff double in the sixth inning set up a bunt attempt from Georgetown No. 9 hitter Haiden McGehee. The throw to first was low and caromed away from first baseman Samiya Johnson, allowing Blaylock to come home with the go-ahead run.

The Hornets, behind pitcher Jade Moreno, managed to limit the damage to one run to keep the deficit manageable, but Georgetown slammed the door with a 1-2-3 inning to return to the state tournament.

Flour Bluff, fell a round short of advancing to the state tournament in softball for the fourth time.

"We've always had heart and we were going to go down fighting," Moreno said. "We knew it was going to be a good game, no matter what. We thought we would end up on top, but that wasn't in the cards and that is OK."

The Eagles struck for a run in the opening inning after four of the first five batters reached, but Moreno relieved Flour Bluff starting pitcher XT Guerra and settled the Hornets.

Flour Bluff pulled ahead 2-1 on a passed ball in the third inning, one of three pitches that got away from Georgetown catcher Kennedy Miller that plated runs for the Hornets.

But the Eagles put their own pressure on in the third, forcing three errors, setting the table for Miller to smack a two-run home as part of a four-run inning that gave Georgetown a 5-2 advantage.

"Tonight came down to the little things and everybody having each other's back," said Miller, who finished 2 for 3 with two RBI and the home run. "This team is like sisters and that took us to the next level. I don't want to make those errors and I want to be the one that makes up for them, but I knew that my team had my back and it showed in the sixth."

It was Bluff's turn to battle back in the fourth with two runs on three straight hits off Georgetown starter Cambree Creager to chase the pitcher. Emily Mayo laced a double into right to plate a run and then the first of three passed balls with a Hornets runner on third tightened the game to 5-4.

Moreno said quality teams do not often make mistakes and the Hornets knew the importance of jumping on every Georgetown lapse.

"Normally a team like that doesn't make mistakes, it showed us they were rattled and we tried to do something about that," Moreno said.

Georgetown's Madison Hartley came on in relief of Creager and struck out two Hornets to hold on to a slim advantage, but Johnson reached on a dropped third strike and an error and a passed ball helped Flour Bluff square the game at 5-5 in the fifth.

But Georgetown had its own late heroics, to claim a spot in the semifinals.

Eagles' leadoff hitter Isa Torres recorded three of her team's seven hits, including a double and a triple.

Creager and Hartley scattered six hits for Georgetown. Flour Bluff's Lanter finished 1-4 with two runs scored and a triple and Mayo was 1 for 3 with a double for the Hornets, who lose three seniors and finished the season 27-4.

"Next year we don't want to feel like this again," Moreno said.

Miller and the Eagles (33-3) are focused on advancing past the semifinals this year.

"It is going to be a big game and this is what we wanted," Miller said. "We were in the semis last year and I think this year we are trying to make it to the next level and make it to the finals."

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

Class 5A regional final

One-game playoff

GEORGETOWN 6, FLOUR BLUFF 5

Friday's highlights: Flour Bluff vs. Georgetown

The teams took turns taking advantage of miscues after Georgetown had staked a 1-0 lead after one inning. For the Hornets, it was getting on base and capitalizing on passed balls, three of which plated runs for Flour Bluff as they were battling from behind for much of the night. The Eagles pounced on six Hornets errors, the last of which allowed the go-ahead run to score in the bottom of the sixth inning when the throw on a sacrifice bunt attempt was too low for Flour Bluff first baseman Samiya Johnson, allowing Ashley Blaylock to score from second.

Friday's stars

Sydney Salinas, Harley Elam and Emily Mayo strung together three hits in the fourth inning in Flour Bluff's most productive frame to pull the Hornets within 5-4. Nevaeh Lanter was 1-4 with two runs scored, an RBI and a triple for Flour Bluff. Mayo was 1 for 3 with an RBI and a double. Georgetown leadoff hitter Isa Torres had three of the Eagles seven hits, including a double and a triple as the top four hitters set the table and scored five times. Catcher Kennedy Miller was 2 for 3 with two RBI and a home run for the Eagles.

They said it

Flour Bluff's Jade Moreno on keeping the expectations at Flour Bluff: "Next year we don't want to feel like this again. I already told them in the huddle that we are going to come back stronger because everybody is going to work over the summer. We are losing some big pieces, but we will fill those spots and we are going to make it happen."

Georgetown head coach Melissa Hall on carrying the weight of expectations to get back to state: "This says a lot. They have been dealing with pressure all year and those expectations of getting back. I think we saw that a little bit tonight defensively and I think we made some uncharacteristic errors. I hope we play a little bit more relaxed now that we are there and just go show what they can do."

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Georgetown tops Flour Bluff to return to UIL state softball tournament