Lady Mustangs lose playoff game in final inning

Brittney Mills makes it to second base safely in last Friday night’s bi-district game against Lufkin Hudson. A Hudson grand slam put the Lady Mustangs on the short end of a 6-1 final. Fernando Castro/Madisonville Meteor.

Fernando Castro with The Meteor

The Lady Mustangs traveled to Sam Houston State University on Friday to go against Lufkin Hudson in a postseason game for the bi-district title, only to see their playoff hopes dashed in the final inning.

The game started with controversy in the bottom of the first. With bases loaded, Brittney Mills hit a line drive to center that appeared to bring Corrine Brassell in for the run.

But an appeal by Lufkin Hudson motioned that Whitney Bishop at second had left early. The run was erased, and the inning was over as a result.

The Madisonville girls still became the first to score in the game. Bailey Hunt, who went 1-for-2 with a walk, hit a single up the middle to start things up in the second inning. Lyndsey Renfrow followed up with a single of her own that moved Hunt up to second.

Laci Delesandri singled as well with a fielder's choice that sent Hunt back to the dugout, but the inning wasn't over yet. After Lexi Standley loaded the bases, Heather Boff then hit a sacrifice fly to left and Renfrow ran in for the score.

The next inning was difficult for the Lady Mustangs. An error brought in a run, and the score at the end of the third was 2-1.

The girls' offense fled the next couple of innings. However, Mills did send a single out to right for a hit in the bottom of the third. Ashley Boullion also stood at first base in the fourth inning after a walk.

Neither team made another run until the seventh, which would be unfortunate for Madisonville.

With just a one-run deficit and bases loaded, Smith served up a grand slam that would bring in four more runs. It was more than enough for Lufkin Hudson to get the win with a final score of 6-1.

Boff's RBI in the second was Madisonville's only run of the game. Renfrow ended the day with 2-for-3 at the plate. Corinne Brassell was 2-for-4, and Whitney Bishop went 1-for-3. Smith allowed only 5 hits, and the team left Sam Houston with 7 hits and 1 earned run.

The Lady Mustangs end the season with a 12-13 record. With only two players not returning next season, next year's softball team will look very much like this year's.