WHS SOFTBALL
The Texans made history, sweeping the Columbia Roughnecks in a two-game series to win the regional semifinals and advance to the program’s first-ever regional final.
Wimberley won a program record 27th game to improve to 27-7-2 overall. West Columbia drops to 20-8-1.
On Tuesday, the Texans battled Columbia in the first game of the threegame series.
The Roughnecks took the early lead in the top of the second on an RBI single before extending the lead in the third on another RBI single.
Wimberley answered in the bottom of the third when Bailey Wright hit an RBI while loading up the bases.
Following Wright, Ella Patek crushed a grand slam into center, putting the Texans up 5-2 over the Roughnecks.
Ansley Davis later drew the bases loaded walk to put another run on the board for Wimberley in the bottom of the sixth.
The Texans were able to get the next three outs in the top of the seventh as Wimberley won 6-2 over Columbia.
In Game 2, the Texans scored first as Wright hit an RBI double to put Wimberley up 1-0 in the top of the first inning.
Columbia tied the game in the same inning on an RBI single before taking the lead on a two-run home run to go up 3-1.
Wright made a one-run game for the Texans in the top of the fifth inning, hitting an RBI single to cut the deficit down to 3-2.
Going into the seventh inning, the Texans still found themselves trailing by one run, but on the brink of eliminating the Roughnecks. While Columbia thought they were forcing Game 3, the Texans had other plans.
Wimberley loaded up the bases with one out following a leadoff single from Davis, a Columbia error and a walk by Patek.
Reagan Kenley hit an RBI single into center field, scoring Gahan to tie the game at 3-3.
After Columbia got the second out on a fly out in left field, Morgan Smith came up to the plate for the Texans, looking to give her team the go ahead run.
Smith forced a bases- loaded walk to score Wright as Wimberley took their first lead of the game at 4-3.
Columbia looked to answer in their at-bat in the seventh, putting runners on first and second with one out.
But the Texans escaped the inning, getting the second out on a force-out at second before a groundout sealed both the Game 2 win and the regional semifinal championship.
Grace Strobel threw six innings, allowing five hits, three earned runs, one walk and four strikeouts. Charlotte Woodard pitched one inning in the seventh, allowing one hit, no earned runs, no walks and striking out one batter.
Wright went 2-4 from the plate with two RBIs.
Wimberley will look to capture the program’s first-ever regional title as the Texans take on the Ingleside Mustangs.
The game schedule will be determined after press time.
