Published: May 21, 2008 03:32 pm         

Lady ‘Dawgs take final swing in Sulphur Springs

By Leslie Gibson

Herald-Banner Staff



SULPHUR SPRINGS — Royse City’s long ride in the state softball playoffs ended on Saturday with a 6-1 loss to Longview Spring Hill in game three of the Region II-3A semifinals.

Royse City forced third game in the series with a 7-1 victory in game two on Saturday afternoon. But Spring Hill, which opened the series with a 1-0 win on Thursday, turned a grand slam homer by Shannon Sanders into a victory in game three to close out the Lady Bulldogs, who finished at 28-7.

“God blessed us with a heck of a ride,” said Coach James Bain after giving the girls their final after-game talk of the season.

Royse City scored three runs in the bottom of the third in game two to grab the lead. Shelby Pille and Dezyrae Arredondo hit back-to-back RBI singles, scoring Camille Flores, who had reached base on a close throw at first, and Autumn Landers, who had singled. Sarah Stutts scored on a sacrifice fly by Devani Harrison.

Royse City scored four runs in the fifth. Stutts singled off Spring Hill pitcher Ashley Campbell. Shelby Pille reached first, and Stutts second on a fielder’s choice. Arredondo singled to load the bases for Julia Zielinski, who drove in two runs with a double to centerfield. Arredondo scored on an illegal pitch.

Spring Hill’s Allison Brown scored in the seventh on a sacrifice bunt.

Sanders hit her grand slam in the second inning of game three.

Lady Panther Campbell tripled to begin the bottom of the fourth, scoring on Sanders’ sacrifice fly. Sha’ McDowell singled, and later scored on a single by Williams.

Ashley Heinaman scored Royse City’s run in the seventh, reaching on a walk and then touching home following a single by Flores.

“We played a heck of a game earlier,” Bain said. “I’ve coached 22 years. I’ll remember this team, not just because we went far, but because of the type of kids they are, they are a family. Our late inning rallies and come from everyone believing in each other. Some games it would be two or three girls, and another game another two or three.”

Spring Hill, now 29-12-1, advances to the regional finals to face Liberty-Eylau, which swept Frisco Wakeland 1-0 and 8-1.

Royse City fans cheered the players as they left the field.

“Way to go Royse City!” yelled the young men lining the fence as the Lady ’Dawgs headed toward right field for their last team talk.

Fans referred to spirit of family for which Bain compliments the team.

“They came together as a family,” said Dalton McAden, who played shortstop for the Royse City baseball team.

J. D. Montes noted, “They never gave up.” J.R. Arredondo noted the girls play as a team.

Arredondo and Matthew Puckett said they have made every game (they are dating the Pille sisters they said). “Once they went to Texarkana, they were hot,” Puckett said.

“I’m proud of the whole team, especially the seniors for their leadership,” said Bobbi Hammond, sister to Harrison.

Julie Stutts was crying as she looked back on the last Royse City season of her daughter Sarah Stutts, who has signed with Cloud Community College in Concordia, Kansas. “The team played as a team. They never gave up. They played like a family,” she said. “I’m so proud of them.”

James Bain Senior, coach James Bain’s father, said “They’ve really had an outstanding season.”

“We earned it — no game was given to us,” Coach Bain said.



Herald-Banner Sports Editor David Claybourn contributed to this story