[dropcap]A[/dropcap]mid the hugs, tears and cheers Friday in Weimar, Dripping Springs Tiger head coach Wade Womack maintained a large smile following the team’s epic Region IV, 5A series victory over the Richmond Foster Falcons.
For the first time in six years, the Dripping Springs Tigers softball team will be making the 28-mile journey to the UIL State Tournament in Austin.
But for Womack, it solidified his belief that all of the hard work, sacrifice and hours put in by the Tigers in the offseason could pay off. All of it was put to the test in a 4-3 come-from-behind victory in Game 3, which punched the Tigers’ ticket to state.
“We beat an incredibly tough and talented team,” Womack said. “For (the players) to do what they did, with the momentum (Foster) had…I’ve been doing this for a long time, and that’s probably the most impressive display of guts I’ve had in 500 and whatever games I’ve coached in my 14 year career.”
Tiger sophomore Ryann Campbell delivered the series’ defining moment when she smacked an RBI triple in the 7th inning of Game 3, which scored a go-ahead run that gave Dripping Springs a 4-3 lead.
Campbell said she was initially nervous when she went up to the plate, but understood the gravity of the situation. By going on a hunch that Foster pitcher Kacie Pryor was going to pitch to her on the outside of the plate, going “with the pitch” paid dividends.
“I needed to somehow find a way to make the run score or just get on base to help the team out,” Campbell said. “When she was pitching outside, I was like, “Okay, the only way to get on base or move the runner is to go with the pitch,’ and that’s what I did.”
Dripping Springs pitcher Kiele Miller was the backbone in the circle, pitching all but two of the 21 innings in the series.
Miller said she was “overjoyed” and began to cry when she notched a strikeout to end Game 3. The moment was the culmination of the work she and her senior teammates have put in during the past four years.
Making it to state was a full team effort, Miller said.
“We would not have won if we didn’t get timely hits or an amazing almost diving layout catch,” Miller said. “It’s such a great team effort. We definitely couldn’t do it without everyone on this team.”
Dripping Springs’ state dreams, however, were on the brink hours before the team’s Game 3 victory. A late run scored in the top of the seventh inning May 25 gave Foster a 3-2 Game 1 win and momentum.
Womack told his players they still needed to win two games to reach state, no matter the order. Miller said the team’s playoff experience, which included a 3-game series against Austin High, gave them the upper hand.
“They haven’t played the people we’ve played this year,” Womack said. “We knew if we won that second game, we had that third game in the bag.”
Dripping Springs overcame the arm of Pryor, who kept Tiger bats at bay for the majority of the series. In addition, Dripping Springs was able to notch key base hits in the clutch, despite stranding 10 base runners in Game 3.
Dripping Springs took Game 2 1-0. However, the Tigers trailed 3-1 in the third inning of Game 3.
An RBI double from Haley Odell and an RBI single from Bailey Hudgeons tied the game at 3-3.
Campbell then struck with her game-winning hit. She said she was “relieved” when she delivered the game-winning hit.
“I had struck out a couple of times. I knew that can’t get me down,” Campbell said. “Once I got that hit, I was pumped up and was ready to go.”
Dripping Springs now advances to face Willis in the state semifinals Friday at Red and Charlene McCombs Field.
It will mark Womack’s third trip to state. But it will mark the first time Paige Sandahl, Tiger pitching coach, returns to McCombs Field since she pitched Dripping Springs to state as a player in 2009.
Womack lauded Sandahl’s ability to assist the Tiger pitching staff. Miller said having a specific pitching coach, whom some colleges don’t have, is “amazing.”
Sandahl said playing in McCombs Field is “special” and plans to forward her experiences to the team prior to their state semifinal game.
“I can’t even put it into words. It’s so special to be able to lead them on their journey,” Sandahl said.
See more Tiger softball photos here.
