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Baseball/softball replay: Flower Mound clinches 5-5A title in softball

GAME OF THE DAY

FLOWER MOUND -- Annelise Oswalt and her Flower Mound teammates got the fitting finish they desired for the final regular-season game on its soon-to-be demolished softball field -- an 8-7 District 5-5A clinching victory over rival Flower Mound Marcus Tuesday night.

The outs didn’t come easily for Oswalt, a sophomore pitcher. Marcus had nine hits and Flower Mound infielders committed five errors. But Oswalt got the big outs when she needed them and even contributed a rally starting triple in Flower Mound’s three-run fifth inning.

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“I had to do it for my team,’’ Oswalt said. “It is probably the last game we’ll play on this field and we didn’t want to lose it. We had a lot to play for.’’

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Marcus closed within a run in the seventh and had runners at second and third when Oswalt got the game-ending ground ball out.

“There are some great hitters and great pitchers in this area,’’ Flower Mound coach Mark Larriba was saying afterward, “but for all-around I’m not sure anybody is better than Annelise. She hurt her leg rounding second on that triple, but she just gutted it out the last two innings.’’

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Barring a first-round home playoff game, Flower Mound (20-8-1, 8-1 in 5-5A), No. 2 in SportsDay’s Class 5A area ranking and No. 9 in the state coaches poll, will not play on its field again.

Demolition begins May 1. A new field is under construction on another part of the campus.

Marcus (23-3-1, 6-3), No. 3 in the area and No. 13 in the state, owned leads of 1-0, 4-1 and 6-5, the latter going into the bottom of the fifth.

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Dani Warne, Kelly Johnson and Bonna Molina all had two hits for Marcus. Ashley Hardin, Audrey Pratt, Molly Conklin and Whitney Walkow each drove in a run.

Marcus senior pitcher Hannah Null, bound for Abilene Christian, sat out her fourth straight game with a hip flexor injury to her right leg. Jordan Gundersen got the start instead and pitched into the third inning before leaving with no decision.

She was relieved by Madison Greenwell, who finished. Both were charged with four runs.

Oswalt started Flower Mound’s telling three-run fifth inning with a one-out triple. Alex Jennings’ RBI single tied it, 6-6. With two out, Christy Lisenby drew a walk. After a double steal, Jennings scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball. Kelly Powell plated the third run of the inning with an RBI triple. That run eventually stood up as the game-winner.

Maurie Jamele led the Flower Mound attack with three hits and a pair of RBIs. Taylor Nabors also drove in two runs.

“Marcus prepared for us and knew what to expect,’’ Oswalt said. “But our team prepared a little better. When we fell behind, I didn‘t worry. We are a comeback team.’’

Randy Jennings

SPOTLIGHT

Close one for Carroll

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The Southlake Carroll baseball team, ranked No. 20 in the nation by MaxPreps.com, managed only three hits against Keller. But starter Ben Leeper pitched six scoreless innings, TCU signee Tyler Alexander threw a scoreless seventh, and Kenny Hill scored a run in the fourth as Carroll won, 1-0.

Carroll improved to 11-1 in 4-5A and leads the district by two games over Keller Fossil Ridge with two games left. Carroll plays at Fossil Ridge on Friday.

Dramatic comeback

The Forney softball team was one out from suffering its first district loss before it scored five runs in the top of the seventh to beat North Forney, 10-6. Baylei Wildman put Forney ahead with a bases-loaded single, and DePaul signee Micah Fitzgerald capped the scoring with a two-run triple.

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Forney (21-6, 13-0) clinched the outright District 10-4A championship with the win. Fitzgerald finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs for the state’s 15th-ranked 4A team.

TUESDAY’S STANDOUTS

BASEBALL

Beau Barnes, Lake Highlands: Was 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs and two RBIs in a 7-1 win over Sunset. Lake Highlands is tied with Jesuit and W.T. White for first place in District 9-5A. W.T. White won its seventh straight district game, beating Richardson Berkner, 6-2, and Jesuit beat Richardson Pearce, 8-1.

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B.J. Marshall, Garland Naaman Forest: Hit a game-winning RBI double in the top of the seventh to give District 11-5A leader Naaman Forest a 4-3 win vs. Rowlett.

Cole Carter, Allen: Went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run as Allen beat Plano West, 4-2, to clinch its first playoff berth since 2009.

Nick Conner, Highland Park: Threw a two-hit shutout and struck out eight as Highland Park beat Carrollton Creekview, 7-0, and stayed tied with Forney for first in 10-4A.

Brandon Maine, Richland: Pitched a no-hitter and struck out 10 in an 8-0 win over Keller Central.

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Ethan Davis, and Blake Barr, Midlothian: Each hit two home runs as District 7-5A leader Midlothian beat South Grand Prairie, 18-7. Matt Heck also homered for Midlothian.

Austin Gehle, Frisco Wakeland: Threw a one-hitter and struck out nine as Wakeland beat The Colony, 5-2, and stayed one game behind 9-4A leader Frisco Centennial.

SOFTBALL

Haley Freyman, Richland: Pitched her third consecutive shutout, throwing a four-hitter, as Richland (27-4, 13-0) clinched the outright District 4-5A title with a 9-0 win over Justin Northwest.

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Kayla Vandergriff, Rockwall: Threw a one-hit shutout as Rockwall clinched the outright District 12-5A title with a 10-0 win vs. Tyler Lee.

Brittany Lewis, Lovejoy: The Stephen F. Austin signee threw a three-hit shutout and went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs as Lovejoy (23-7, 13-0) clinched the outright District 13-4A title with an 8-0 win vs. Royse City.

Ashley Dumoulin, Trophy Club Byron Nelson: The Rhode Island signee was 3-for-4 with five RBIs and was also the winning pitcher as Byron Nelson (23-8, 10-3) beat Azle, 8-6, to remain tied for first in District 5-4A. Byron Nelson trailed, 6-3, before scoring four runs in the fifth inning.

Chelsea Herndon, Hebron: The Florida signee was 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBIs as Hebron rallied from a 5-0 deficit for an 8-7 win over Lewisville, the No. 4 team in SportsDay's 5A area rankings. Herndon also got the win in relief as Hebron moved into a tie with Flower Mound Marcus for second place in 5-5A.

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Darrianne Hale, Bishop Lynch: Threw a no-hitter and struck out 12 as Bishop Lynch (28-5, 11-0 TAPPS 1-5A) beat Prestonwood, 11-0.

STAT SHEET

2: Home runs hit by Grapevine softball player Cynthia Haugh in a 16-1 win vs. Irving MacArthur. Brittany Perkins and MacKenzie Hill also homered.

5: Consecutive shutouts thrown by First Baptist baseball pitcher Andrew Byrd (7-1). He allowed one hit in a 16-0 win against Lutheran.

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16: Strikeouts for Arlington Martin baseball pitcher Turner Larkins, who threw a one-hitter as Martin (23-6, 12-0 in 3-5A) beat Arlington Lamar, 8-0.