Llano softball beats Lamesa in extra innings to take game 1

CAPTION: Llano junior Gwyn Burnett slides under the tag at third and is 60 feet away from scoring. Photo by Briley Mitchell/Dust Devil Diver Photography

The Llano High School softball team defeated Lamesa 3-2 in nine innings May 18 to take a 1-0 lead in the best of three Class 3A Region I semifinals series.

Game two is set for noon Saturday, May 20, at Polly Wells Field on the Abilene Christian University campus, 782 E. Ambler Ave. Game three, if necessary, will be played 30 minutes after game two. Fans can listen by tuning into 102.9 KITY FM.

With the score tied 2-2 in the ninth, junior lead-off batter Gwyn Burnett reached first and stole second. She went to third on a single by junior pitcher Skylar Brown, who bats second. A double steal allowed Burnett to score what turned out to be the winning run.

The Lady Jackets (25-5-2, 7-3 District 5-3A runners-up), who were the visiting team, struck first.

After an out in the third inning, shortstop Burnett drew a walk. A bad throw to first base to try to get Brown out allowed Burnett to score for the 1-0 advantage.

In the sixth inning, senior first baseman Madison Kloepper hit a lead-off double and scored on a ground-out by Jojo Inge for a 2-0 lead.

Trailing 2-0 with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Golden Tornadoes (19-4, 8-0 District 3-3A champions) scored two unearned runs when an outfielder dropped the ball.

Brown (14-2, 5-0 in the playoffs) allowed two unearned runs off four hits with two walks, a hit by a pitch, and struck out 18.

Lamesa senior pitcher Laila Vasquez was credited with the loss. She allowed two unearned runs off seven hits and 10 walks and struck out 14.

Inge had Llano’s only RBI, and Kloepper had the Lady Jackets’ only double. Brown had 3 singles in 4 plate appearances.

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