Lady Spartans advance to Regionals behind Lindemuth’s two complete games

Senior Lindemuth pitches two complete games, including a game-one shutout, as Centennial wins two of three over Azle in Area Playoffs

FORT WORTH – Bailey Lindemuth pitched two complete games as the Centennial Lady Spartans varsity softball team beat the Azle Lady Hornets two games to one in the Area Playoffs last week at Chisholm Trail High School.

The senior starting-pitcher pitched a six-inning shutout, surrendering two hits and a walk with four strikeouts, in a 10-0 game-one victory Wednesday and surrendered two runs (one earned) off six hits and three walks and struck out six over seven innings pitched in the series-deciding 9-2 game-three victory Friday.

Lindemuth adds to complete-game performance by scoring three runs as Lady Spartans take game-three and win series

The Lady Spartans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning in game-three when Lindemuth scored the first run of the game on a bases-loaded walk after leading the game off with a four-pitch walk – the first of four walks (two intentional) for Lindemuth in game-three.

Lindemuth scored a game-high three runs as she went 0-for-1 with four walks and two stolen bases in game-three.

Junior first-baseman Ryanne Stephens also scored three runs as she went 2-for-3 with a walk, two RBIs and a stolen base in game-three.

Stephens drove in the first run of the third inning – Centennial scored in each of the first three innings – on an RBI single to right to increase the Lady Spartans’ lead to 4-0. She got the scoring going for Centennial again in a three-run seventh with another RBI single to increase the lead to 7-2.

Lady Spartans fall in low-scoring game-two

Before Centennial’s series-deciding game-three victory, Azle took game-two with a 1-0 victory Thursday.

Freshman starting-pitcher Ava Ellis kept the Lady Spartans in it with five innings of one-run softball, surrendering five hits and a walk with two strikeouts as she took the loss.

Lindemuth closed game-two – surrendering no hits or walks and striking out three over the last two innings of the loss.

The Lady Spartans went 4-for-24 at the plate as a team in game-two.

Haynes finishes homer short of cycle as Lady Spartans take game-one

Centennial’s lackluster offensive performance in game-two followed a 10-0 win in game-one Wednesday.

Junior shortstop Madison Haynes’ RBI triple to cap off a 5-run sixth inning gave the Lady Spartans a 10-0 lead, large enough to end the game after the bottom of the inning.

  Haynes went 3-for-4 with a triple and double, a stolen base and a game-high three RBIs in game-one. 

Junior catcher Madelyn Hickey – 3-for-3 with a game-high three RBIs – lined an RBI single to center to score Ellis – 3-for-4 with an RBI and a game-high two runs scored – and give Centennial a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

The Lady Spartans scored two more with RBI singles from Hickey and Haynes, increasing their lead to 3-0 in the third.

Senior Hannah McCurry – 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a game-high two runs scored – lined an RBI double to left to increase Centennial’s lead to 4-0 in the top of the fifth. McCurry scored on Haynes’ RBI double in the next at-bat, bringing the score to 5-0.

The Lady Spartans scored five runs in the sixth inning on RBI singles from Ellis, Hickey and McCurry and Haynes’ RBI triple, bringing their lead to 10-0 and forcing Azle to score a run in the bottom of the inning to continue the game.

Lindemuth shut down Azle with six pitches in the bottom of the sixth to end the game.

Onto Regionals

The District 8-5A Champion Lady Spartans move on to face the District 7-5A Champion Colleyville-Heritage Lady Panthers in a best-of-three Regional Playoffs series beginning with game-one Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Saginaw High School.