Union softball coach Jacob Casey called it gut-wrenching and most anyone who saw it would certainly agree.
Union led division rival Lake in both games last week but lost both of them as Lake came from behind and won Game 1 8-7 on Monday. Lake finished off the series with a 9-6 win on Tuesday to advance in the Class 2A playoffs.
“We should have won both of those games,” Casey said. “We were up 7-4 going into the seventh and ended up getting beat. We were up 6-1 in the sixth in Game 2 and that’s another one we let slip away. I’m not taking anything away from Lake, they played like they refused to lose and found a way to win. They hit the ball very well and we didn’t make too many defensive plays. It’s just kind of gut wrenching to lose two games like that.”
Union finishes the season with a 15-13 record.
“We had such a roller coaster year,” Casey said. “We played well in spurts and I felt like we were playing our best softball here at the end. I think we ran into a really hot team in Lake. I was proud of the way our girls finished the year on a positive note, even though a we got put out.”
Lake 8, Union 7
In the opening game of the series, Lake scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a one-run win over the Lady Jackets on Monday.
Lake scored two runs in the top of the first as Olivia Clay singled to score Parker Breland and Reagan Clark.
Union answered with three runs in the bottom of the first as a Lilly Burton line drive was misplayed and allowed DaShayla Jackson and courtesy runner Kayleigh Vance scored. Parker Breland followed with an RBI single to score Burton to give Union a 3-2 led.
Lake took the lead in the top of the fifth with a pair of runs as Laurel Breland singled to score Jordan McLemore. Then with a first and third situation, Laurel Breland got caught in a rundown and Taylor Duncan scored to make the score 4-3.
Union took the lead back in the bottom of the fifth when Burton tripled to left to score Debbie Hunter. Parker Breland then reached on an infield single to score Burton and give Union a 5-4 lead.
Union added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth as Anna Grace Blount scored on a double by Macy Lott. After two walks to load the bases, Burton drew walk to score Abby Jenkins and give Union a 7-4 lead going to the seventh.
In the seventh, Lake got singles by Kaytie Hillman and Duncan and a walk to Laurel Breland to load the bases. Hannah Wilkerson cleared the bases with a double to right to tie the game at 7-7. Reagan Clark then reached on an error to score Wilkerson and give Lake an 8-7 lead.
Parker Breland was 2-for-4 with two RBIs while Ansley Rigby was 2-for-4. Lilly Burton had a triple and drove in two runs while Mackenzie Dolan drew four walks.
Hannah Wilkerson was 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. Taylor Duncan was 2-for-4 with two runs scored while Olivia Clay was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Taylor Duncan went the distance for Lake, giving up seven runs on seven hits and six walks while striking out 10.
Britli Cleveland started in the circle for Union and gave up eight runs on 11 hits and three walks while striking out six.
Lake 9, Union 6
The Lady Jackets let 5-0 after two innings but couldn’t hold on for the win as Lake advanced to the North 2A finals.
Union jumped ahead 5-0 in the game, thanks to five errors by Lake. After scoring two in the first inning, Union scored five in the third inning as Lilly Burton hit a triple to score two runs. Burton came home on an error to give the Lady Jackets a 5-0 lead and all the momentum.
Lake then went to his bag of coaching tricks and pulled Southeastern Louisiana commit Taylor Duncan for freshman Kate Gladney.
The switch paid off as Gladney gave up one run on three hits in four innings.
Trailing 6-1 going into the bottom of the fifth, Lake finally broke through at the plate as Union’s Jacob Casey pulled Hinds Community College signee Anna Rigdon for freshman Britli Cleveland.
The move didn’t work out as well for Casey as the first five batters reached base. Hannah Wilkerson drove in two runs in the inning with a single while Landry LeBlanc drove in two more to tie the game at 6-6. Kaytie Hillman singled to score another run and give Lake a 7-6 lead.
Lake scored two more runs in the sixth as Wilkerson drove in another run and scored on a pass ball for a 9-6 lead.
Lake had 11 hits in the game as Hannah Wilkerson was 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored and three RBIs. Laurel Breland was 2-for-3 with two runs scored while Olivia Clay and Kaytie Hillman were each 2-for-3.
Union had just four hits in the game as DaShayla Jackson was 2-for-3. Lilly Burton had a triple and drove in two runs and scored twice. Anna Rigdon tripled and drove in a run. Mackenzie Dolan walked four times and scored a run.
Duncan pitched three innings and gave up five runs, all unearned, on one hit and two walks while striking out five. Kate Gladney picked up the win as she pitched four innings and gave up one run on three hits and two walks while striking out three.
Rigdon pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up three runs on eight hits while striking out two. Cleveland pitched 1/3 of an inning and gave up six runs on three hits and two walks.
