Dripping Springs claims District 26-6A co-championship, top seed in first year in Class 6A
WIMBERLEY — Jai-Lynn Flores pitched a complete-game three-hitter Monday night as Dripping Springs defeated Johnson 3-2 in nine innings to secure District 26-6A's top seed for the state softball playoffs that begin Thursday.
Dripping Springs and Johnson both moved up from Class 5A after the UIL's biennial realignment and claimed district co-championships in their first season in Class 6A.
Dripping Springs, a traditional Class 5A softball power, won its sixth straight win after dropping three straight district games. Tigers head coach Wade Womack has never missed the playoffs since coming over from Medina Valley to take over the program from former coach Keith Tuck, who was Womack's longtime friend. Womack emphasizes strong pitching, solid defense and timely hitting; his Tigers demonstrated all three elements in Monday's win.
“This was just a great, old-fashioned softball game between two really good teams," Womack said.
Meanwhile, Johnson was upbeat despite the loss. The Jaguars are a new program at a new school, forming a winning culture. Head coach Katy Snell started the program and has gotten the Jaguars to a high level of performance in their first season in 6A.
“It’s been a slug match between the two of us (Dripping Springs and Johnson) all year,” Snell said. "The kids fell just short tonight on the offensive end, but their pitcher (Flores) threw a great game. I’m proud of them. Not many third-year varsity programs have accomplished as much as they have.”
More: Austin-area softball programs turn their focus to the state playoffs
Johnson led 2-0 early on unearned runs in the first and second innings, but Flores put the Tigers on the board with a fourth-inning home run that closed the margin. Dripping Springs tied it 2-2 in the sixth when Kate Tressler singled in Keira Hector.
The teams played scoreless into the ninth when Dripping Springs got a triple by freshman Elianna Amato and then an RBI single by Kristen Zeman for what proved to be the winning run.
Haiden Anderson led Dripping Springs with three hits while Amato and Flores added two each. Dripping Springs collected 13 hits in the win.
Dripping Springs will play Stony Point in bi-district; Dripping Spring will host Game 1 on Friday night, with an 11 a.m. Game 2 at Stony Point on Saturday, with a third game, if needed, immediately after. Johnson faces Vista Ridge in a one-game playoff Friday at Lake Travis.
In other area action, Hyde Park beat Veritas Academy 15-0 in a warmup game matching district champion. Panthers pitcher Taylor Haywood improved to 25-1 with the three-inning no-hitter, her fourth of the season, and has 223 strikeouts after fanning eight of the nine hitters she retired. The no-hitter was the seventh of the year for Hyde Park; Bella Milicia is 12-0 in the circle with the other three no-hitters.
Playoff schedule
Class 6A
Round Rock vs. Del Valle (one game) — 6:30 p.m. Friday, Round Rock; Cedar Ridge vs. Bowie (one game) — 7 p.m. Friday, Manor; Vista Ridge vs. Johnson (one game) — 7 p.m. Friday, Lake Travis; Stony Point vs. Dripping Springs — 6 p.m. Friday (Dripping Springs), 11 a.m. Saturday (Stony Point), Game 3 to follow, if needed
Class 5A
Georgetown vs. Eastside Early College (one game) — 7 p.m. Friday, Hendrickson; Leander vs. N.B. Canyon — 6 p.m. Thursday (Leander), 6 p.m. Friday (NBC), 1 p.m. Saturday (Dripping Springs, if needed); Liberty Hill vs. S.A. Veterans Memorial — 6 p.m. Thursday (Liberty Hill), 6 p.m. Friday (Veterans Memorial), 2 p.m. Saturday (Wimberley, if needed);
Glenn vs. Smithson Valley — 7 p.m. Friday (Glenn), noon Saturday (Smithson Valley), Game 3 to follow, if needed; Crockett vs. Pflugerville or Elgin — TBA; McCallum vs. Pflugerville or Elgin — TBA; LASA vs. East View (one game) — 7 p.m. Friday, Noack Fields; Hays vs. Seguin — TBA
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Dripping Springs softball claims Class 6A district's top playoff seed
