Dumas wins thriller over Randall to complete sweep

Dumas slugger Meleney Granados delivered at the most crucial moment with a three-run homer that helped the Demonettes complete a two-game sweep of District 4-4A rival Randall in the Class 4A regional quarterfinals on Thursday and Friday.

Dumas won a lopsided Game 1 by a 13-6 count at home on Thursday, but it’s Friday’s game that will be remembered as the Demonettes picked up a come-from-behind win in their final at-bat to gain a thrilling 7-5 victory for the sweep.

With Dumas trailing 5-4 in the top of the seventh of Game 2 with one out, Randall pulled starting pitcher Berkley Browder for reliever Miley Brown. Brown inherited runners at second and third with Granados at the plate and Granados had the moment of her career blasting a three-run home run to left field that put Dumas on top 7-5. Demonette starting pitcher Star Cortes was able to work a perfect home half of the seventh sealing the huge victory for the Dumas.

“I am beyond proud of this team,” Dumas head coach Carlyn Tolleson said. “Words can’t even describe how happy and excited I am for this group. They have worked so hard for this moment and deserve it. It means so much to bring back gold gloves to the community we love. We are excited to continue our journey this weekend.”

The Demonettes (31-7) advance to the regional semifinals for the first time since 2007 and will now take on Decatur (29-7-1) with the best of a three-game series starting Friday at Lubbock-Cooper. Randall ends its season at 27-13.

Granados was stellar in the series going a combined 5-for-7 in the series with a double, two homers and five RBIs. Cortes pitched two complete games getting both wins in the circle combining for 11 strikeouts and was 5-for-6 at the dish including two doubles, a homer, tallying two RBIs.

Pampa takes down Canyon 

The Pampa Lady Harvesters are moving on thanks to grounding District 4-4A champion Canyon in a two-game sweep of the Lady Eagles by getting a 12-8 victory on Thursday, followed by a walk-off victory 2-1 on Friday.

The Lady Harvesters, who were the No. 4-seed out of District 4-4A, exact a measure of revenge on the Lady Eagles after being swept in the regular season. Pampa (23-8) moves on to the regional semifinals for the first time since 2014 and will now battle Burkburnett (25-7-1) at a time and place to be determined. Canyon ends a superb season at 19-16.

“I’m extremely proud of this entire team,” Pampa head coach Dottie Hawthorne said. “They play every game with so much heart and determination and we just want to keep going.”

Game 1 was the complete opposite of what Game 2 came to be. In Thursday’s first game at West Plains High School both pitchers didn’t have their best stuff as the two teams combined for 20 runs. Pampa hurler Kynleigh Kirby had a gutsy effort going all seven innings but had to overcome 11 walks but did rack up six K’s in the win. Canyon’s Kylie Knowles was also hit hard giving up 11 hits and 12 runs but only five earned with eight strikeouts with five walks.

The difference came to the trio of Pampa’s Mkinley Danies, and the sister combination of Maecie and Hallie Hawthorne. Daniels was 4-5 in the Game 1 win with two RBIs and a triple. Maecie was 3-for-5 with a two-run homer, and Hallie went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBIs.

In Game 2 at Canadian, both pitchers rebounded in a huge way. Knowles tossed 6.2 innings with 11 strikeouts, and Kirby matched that tossing a complete game without allowing an earned run. Kirby didn’t have a walk in this victory and stacked up four K’s.

With the game tied, 1-1, in the bottom of the seventh, Pampa threatened with runners at second and third. Brianna Cloud hit a ground ball that Canyon had trouble fielding as Briley Daniels came across the plate to score the winning run.

Bushland blasts Idalou 

Bushland stayed red hot by crushing Idalou in what was supposed to be a battle of two of the top teams in Region I.

The Lady Falcons picked up a 16-4 win on Thursday at Lubbock-Cooper, and then continued the momentum with a 15-1 domination on Friday at West Plains High School to outscore Idalou 31-5 in the sweep.

Bushland (30-7) advances to the regional semifinals to play the Coahoma-Henrietta winner.

Lady Falcon slugger Abby Howell has absolutely feasted on opponent pitching throughout the playoffs and that didn’t stop against Idalou (29-9). Howell went a combined 6-for-10 in the series with a pair of home runs, a double, totaling six RBIs. Teammate Chloe Cochran did her part in the sweep by hitting a grand slam in the first game followed by another two RBI effort in Game 2.

Amarillo High falls to Lubbock Monterey competitive series 

In a series where runs came at an extreme premium, Amarillo High was unable to get past Lubbock Monterey as the Lady Sandies season came to a heartbreaking end in the Class 5A regional quarterfinals at the Lady Bulldogs Softball Complex in Plainview on Friday.

The series saw a total of nine runs backed up by strong pitching. AHS took a 1-0 lead in the series after a 2-1 win on Thursday, but unfortunately for the Lady Sandies the Monterey battled back for a pair of 2-1 victories on Friday to advance.

The crucial moment came in Game 3. With the Lady Plainsman leading 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth, AHS had the bases loaded and one out against Monterey pitcher Anays Perez. However, Perez was able to settle down and get Danae Lopez to strikeout and Tatem Pendergraft to fly out to end the threat.

AHS, the District 3-5A champions, see an unbelievable year come to an end at 34-5. Lubbock Monterey improves to 33-6-1 and will move on to play Justin Northwest (23-6) in the regional semifinals.

H.S. regional quarterfinal scores

Class 3A

Lamesa 3, River Road 0, (one-game playoff)
Records: Lamesa 20-3; River Road 22-12.

Class 2A

Colorado City sweeps Sanford-Fritch  
Game 1: Colorado City 10, Sanford-Fritch 0
Game 2: Colorado City 12, Sanford-Fritch 8
Records: Colorado City 16-6; Sanford-Fritch 25-10.