Hickey and McCurry power Lady Spartans to Regional Semifinal victory

Centennial sweeps Abilene with 7-1 game-two victory

STEPHENVILLE – The Centennial Lady Spartans varsity softball team won the 2024 5A Region-One Semifinals Series with a 7-1 game-two win over the Abilene Lady Eagles Saturday at Tarleton State University.

Junior catcher Madelyn Hickey and senior third-baseman Hannah McCurry drove in six runs in the game-two win.

Hickey went 2-for-3 with the game’s only home run, a double and four RBIs. McCurry went 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored.

Hickey’s home run was a two-run shot–scoring McCurry–that brought the score to 7-0 in the bottom of the sixth. Her double scored McCurry and junior right-fielder/shortstop Madison Haynes to increase Centennial’s lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the third.

In the at-bat before Hickey homered, McCurry hit a two-run double to left to bring the lead to 5-0 in the sixth.

Freshman starting-pitcher Ava Ellis earned the win as she pitched four shutout innings, surrendering three walks and just one hit. She went 1-for-3 at the plate.

Freshman Emma Colson–courtesy running for Ellis–stole home to score the first run of the game in the bottom of the third.

Senior shortstop/pitcher Bailey Lindemuth surrendered one earned run off one hit and one walk in three relief innings as she closed for the Lady Spartans. She went 1-for-2 with two walks at the plate.

Lindemuth pitched her fifth complete game of the postseason in Centennial’s 13-2 game-one win Friday at Tarleton.

Reaching the Regional Finals for the first time in the program’s history, the District 8-5A Champion Lady Spartans face the District 5-5A Champion Aledo Lady Bearcats Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Aledo High School in game-one of the best-of-three 5A Region-One Championship Finals Series. The winner of the series advances to the State Tournament.