Lady Panthers sweep Henderson to win area
Bailee Slack of Liberty easily steals second base in game one against Henderson on Thursday afternoon in the Area Championship. The Vindicator | Jerry Michalsky
Brookelyn Taylor of Liberty delivers to the plate against Henderson on Thursday afternoon at Nacogdoches High School.
NACOGDOCHES — Before the Henderson Lady Lions had a chance to bat, the Liberty Lady Panthers had already put up nine runs in game 1.
Liberty added six more runs over the final four innings in blanking Henderson 15-0 in game one of the Area Championship on Thursday afternoon at Nacogdoches High School.
Bailee Slack had two triples and three RBIs, while Hollie Thomas and Brookelyn Taylor each finished with three hits. The Lady Panthers finished with 15 hits as a team.
Slack led the game off with a walk and quickly stole second base. Kylee Bishop followed with a single to score Slack for a 1-0 lead. Thomas then singled, Bayleigh Taylor singled Bishop home, and the score was 2-0.
Abby Vickers singled home a run and then a double by Marina Bourgeois and the advantage was up to 5-0.
Brookelyn Taylor made it 6-0 with an RBI single, followed by a Breezy Pantalion single.
Slack then hit a drive into the gap to plate pinch/ runner Hallie Etheridge and Pantalion, and the Lady Panthers enjoyed an 8- 0 lead. A couple of pitches later, Slack crossed home plate with run number nine in the inning.
Abbie Key picked up a sacrifice fly in the third inning, and then in the fourth inning, Slack had an RBI triple and another sacrifice fly by Bishop and the score was 12-0.
Liberty put the game away in the fifth inning as Zaylee Taylor had a run-scoring single, and Pantalion scored another with a single to make it 15-0.
Brookelyn Taylor pitched four innings and struck out five, while Bishop pitched a perfect fifth inning with a couple of punchouts.
Both teams traveled to Lufkin Hudson for game two on Friday, and it was the Lady Panthers winning the series 10- 1 over the Lady Lions to win the Area Championship.
Brookelyn Taylor struck out 12 in six innings of work in getting the win while Bayleigh Taylor pitched the seventh frame and struck out two. The duo combined for a one-hitter.
Bishop was the hitting star with a home run and five RBIs to go along with two hits.
The stage is set for Thursday night as Liberty will face Bridge City in the Regional Quarterfinals at Goose Creek Memorial High School in Baytown. Game time is set for 6 p.m., and this is a one game winner-take-all.