JOURDANTON — Dripping Springs High School is one of eight softball teams remaining in the 6A D2 playoffs after a two-game sweep over Eagle Pass High School in a Regional Semifinal best-of-three game series May 9-10.
Emma Phillips was four for four at the plate with three RBIs. Jai-Lynn Flores was two for two and had two RBIs. Eagle Pass gave up seven walks, including three to home run hitter Lorelei Gamble. Dripping Springs had 11 runs on 10 hits to defeat Eagle Pass 11 to 5 in the first game of the series.
The Lady Tigers were five for five in stolen bases and Phillips had two of those. In the circle for Dripping Springs was Sadie Bradford, who pitched a complete seven innings, giving up five hits, five runs and struck out seven. Bradford is 13-3 on the season with a 3.02 ERA; she’s pitched 111.1 innings, given up 104 hits and has 76 strikeouts.
In the second game of the series, Eagle Pass took a 1-0 lead through the fourth inning, but that would change when Flores hit a grand slam and Dripping Springs rallied for six runs in the fifth inning. The Eagles scored four runs in the sixth inning to cut the lead 6-5, but were shut out in the final frame. Gamble was walked three times. Kenna Riley was two for three and Bradford was two for four at the plate. Morgan Riley and Phillips (25 for 26 in steals) each had a stolen base. Pitcher Tatum Green (10-3 and 3.00 ERA), who is batting .394 and is 24 for 24 in stolen bases, pitched 5.2 innings before being relieved by Bradford, who gave up one hit and finished the game to earn a save. Dripping Springs has outscored opponents 36-12 in the playoffs.
The Lady Tigers (29-8-1 overall) will now face Cedar Ridge High School (24-4) in the Region IV final at Concordia University in Austin; game one is at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 15, game two is at 7 p.m. Friday, May 16, and if necessary, game three is at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 17.
