Aledo softball gets perfect start to end Monterey's historic run in regional final
ABILENE — Aledo's perfect start Friday morning led to an imperfect ending to the best softball season in Monterey history.
After the Ladycats staked a 4-0 lead in the top of the first, junior Nathalie Touchet did the rest. The Missouri commit tossed a gem, retiring the first nine batters in order en route to a 10-3 Aledo victory in Game 2 of the Region I-5A final series at Poly Wells Field.
With the win, the Ladycats swept their way back to the state tournament. Aledo fell 4-1 to Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill in the Class 5A championship last season, and the Ladycats looked every bit like a title contender against Monterey.
Photos: Monterey vs. Aledo, Game 1
Touchet's performance followed a solid two-pitcher outing in Aledo's 8-2 win in the opener. Seven of her 10 strikeouts came the first time through the lineup. Touchet surrendered one earned run on four hits with no walks.
"She just pitched one of the best games I've ever seen her pitch," Ladycats coach Heather Myers said. "It's really nice. I have lots of confidence in my pitching staff. They can get it done on any day."
It helps to have an offense that can shoulder some of the weight.
Aledo added 16 hits Friday to bring its series total to 31. It started early, too, with three hits giving the Ladycats a four-run lead before the Lady Plainsmen stepped into the batter's box.
"Any time you fall behind a quality team like Aledo, it's tough to fight out of the hole," Monterey coach Brian Cronk said. "We weren't able to get back out of it, but our kids continued to play and compete. You tip your cap to what Aledo has."
Aledo (33-2) led 7-0 before the Lady Plainsmen's first baserunner. Texas Ray, Madysen Boutwell and Presley Hull hit consecutive two-out solo home runs in the fourth — with Boutwell being starter Brenna Straughan's last batter.
Monterey's Makenna Sandoval led the fourth with a single, and Ava Lopez advanced her on an error in the next at-bat. Alexis Lusk drove in the team's first run with a single to left field. Following a passed ball and a wild pitch, the Lady Plainsmen pulled within 7-3.
The score remained after Hailey Montemayor was stranded at third base following a two-out triple. Monterey (35-6-1) had one baserunner the final three innings.
Game 1: Aledo's Gonzales quiets Monterey bats
"They have kids in the circle that can go," Cronk said. "It makes it hard to score runs. But I'm proud of the kids and the fact that they fought. It could've gotten totally out of hand, but it didn't. We competed, and that's all you can ask for from your kids."
So closes the book on the nine Lady Plainsmen seniors. It was the second year in a row Monterey made history, extending its longest playoff run to the regional final.
"This group of seniors won 101 games, and that's with the COVID year in the middle," Cronk said, "so there's no telling what they could've done. … They laid a good foundation for those people that are going to come behind them. Hopefully it's going to be a winning tradition that continues."
At least one person in attendance the past two games sees that happening.
"Just being able to come out and face a team that's as quality as Monterey, I feel like that was really good preparation going into the state tournament," Myers said. " … I bet they make it to the state tournament here in the future. They're that good."
REGION I-5A FINAL
GAME 2
Aledo 10, Monterey 3
Aledo 400 301 2 — 10 16 2
Monterey 000 300 0 — 3 4 1
Nathalie Touchet. Brenna Straughan and Anays Perez (4). W — Touchet. L — Straughan. 2B — Aledo, Marissa Powell (2), Madysen Boutwell, Ana Flores. 3B — Aledo, Flores. Monterey, Hailey Montemayor. HR — Aledo, Texas Ray, Boutwell, Presley Hull.
Records: Aledo 33-2; Monterey 35-6-1.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Aledo softball tops Monterey to sweep regional final
