Lovelady Sweeps Doubleheader to Win Bi-District

Lady Lions Hammer Lady Dragons, 3-0 and 13-3

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

RUSK – The Lovelady Lady Lions entered the 2022 postseason ranked #5 in the final regular season TGCA poll, but injuries and off-the-field issues threatened to derail the Lady Lions very legitimate hopes for a state championship.

Lovelady opened its playoff journey against the Shelbyville Lady Dragons in a Thursday night doubleheader and while they looked out of sync in the first game, they pulled out a 3-0 win. In the second game, however, the Lady Lions seemed to shake off their woes as they pounded three homeruns on their way to a 13-3 win and the Bi-District Championship.

In the first game, the Lady Lions relied on pitching and defense. Macie LaRue got the start for Lovelady and she was darn near perfect. LaRue struck out Kate Lawson to open the game but then gave up the lone hit to Emily Pharris on a well-placed bunt.

After that, however, no one else on the Lady Dragons squad made it as far as first base. LaRue fanned Taylor Jones and Carsey Lovell to end the top of the first.

Shelbyville sent Jones to the circle and while she was nowhere near as effective as LaRue, she kept the high-powered Lovelady offense in check.

Mihyia Davis led off for the Lady Lions and reached on an error. She moved to second when Scout Lovell was hit by a pitch. Morgan Womack made an out as she tried to lay down a bunt, while Linda Martinez fouled out. Haven Prager drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases and it looked like the Lady Lions might break through in the first inning. However, Rylee Biedrzycki fanned to end the inning.

LaRue didn’t let up in the second inning as she struck out Neera Smith and Neena Smith to open the frame before getting Kara Jones to hit a soft liner to second for the third out.

T. Jones also had an easy second as she struck out Bailee Albinus and got LaRue to pop up to second, before striking out McKinzie Seale to retire the side.

The defense for the Lady Lions could have taken a nap in the third inning as LaRue completely baffled the Lady Dragons. She struck out Abby Shofner on four pitches and Gracie Leach on three. Lawson worked LaRue to a full count, before finally striking out to bring the Lady Lions in from the field.

Lovelady finally broke the scoreless drought in the bottom of the third as they scored two runs. Davis grounded out to open the Lady Lions at-bat, but Lovell followed with a bunt single. With Womack at the plate, Lovell swiped second and then stole third.

Womack eventually drew a walk to put runners at the corners with one out. Martinez was up next and sacrificed Lovell home while Womack moved to second. Prager followed in the order and hit a shallow fly ball to short that was misplayed for an error. Womack scored on the play to make it 2-0, but that was all Lovelady could muster in the inning.

In the fourth, LaRue continued her dominance as she struck out the first two batters she faced before getting Shelbyville’s Lovell to fly out in foul territory.

Jones ran into a little trouble in the bottom of the fourth but her defense bailed her out with a double play to end a Lovelady threat.

In the fifth, LaRue changed things up. Instead of striking out the first two batters, she got Neera Smith to ground into a 4-3 force at first but then struck out the next two batters she faced to end the inning.

The Lady Lions would add another run to their total in the bottom of the sixth when Davis sacrificed Seale in from third to make the score 3-0. Meanwhile, LaRue continued to frustrate the Lady Dragons as she got two ground outs to go along with four more strikeouts as the Lady Lions held on to win Game One.

Larue picked up the win as she only allowed one hit while striking out 15.

Game two was a different story as the Lady Lions demolished the Lady Dragons by a final score of 13-3.

Lovelady plated three runs in the first inning only to see Shelbyville tie things up in the bottom half of the frame.

In the second inning, however, the Lady Lions ripped the Lady Dragons for four runs. Seale led off the inning and drew a walk. Davis was up next and hit into a fielder’s choice that caught Seale at second. Lovell drew a walk and pushed Davis to second. Davis moved up to third on a passed ball, while Lovell also advanced a base.

Womack followed in the order and drove in Davis with a sacrifice bunt. Martinez was up next and on a 1-2 pitch, Martinez launched a big fly that came to rest in the tall grass behind the left field fence for a two-run homer.

Prager was the next batter and she singled in to right. On the play, however, a pair of Shelbyville errors allowed her to move all the way over to third. A single by Biedrzycki pushed her across the plate and just like that, the score was 7-3.

Lovelady was back at it again in the fourth inning. This time, Womack led off and on the second pitch she saw, she sent a shot over the left center field fence for a solo HR. Martinez followed with a double to the gap and moved to third on a double from Prager. Biedrzycki drew a walk to load the bases.

After Albinus fanned, LaRue grounded out to second, but on the play, Martinez was able to score and push the lead to 9-3. Seale was up next and reached on an error which allowed Prager to cross the plate while Biedrzycki moved to third. Davis followed with a triple that drove in both Biedrzycki and Seale, making the score 12-3.

LaRue retired the Shelbyville side in order in the bottom of the fourth and when Prager spanked an opposite field tater over the right field fence in the top of the fifth, the Lady Lions pushed their lead to 10.

That was more than enough as LaRue retired the Lady Dragons in the bottom of the fifth to end the game because of the 10-run mercy rule.

The win clinched the Bi-District Championship for the Lady Lions and moves them into the Area Round of the playoffs where they will face the Colmesneil Lady Bulldogs. However, the time, date and location has not been determined as of press time.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].