Lady Blues softball season ends in area round to Burkburnett

The Lady Blues softball team spent all year preparing for the rush and adrenaline provided by a playoff atmosphere. The team cruised through their bi-district opponent and made it to the area round where a staunch Burkburnett team awaited them.

At a neutral field with nearly an even split of fans for each side, the Lady Blues and Lady Bulldogs battled for two consecutive nights. Players shouted and banged their noisemakers in the dugouts, fans whooped and hollered, even some lightning made an appearance in the dogfight between these two district winners.

But at the end of the day Friday, Graham’s Lady Blues couldn’t muster enough offense to overcome Burkburnett’s timely hitting as the Lady Bulldogs took the series two games to none to send the Lady Blues home for the season.

“It was a heck of a series. Great atmosphere, best atmosphere we played in all year and it was a fun series. Unfortunately, we came up a little short,” head coach Adam Arrington said.

Each game came down to the wire for Graham as Burkburnett came from behind to win 5-4 Thursday evening and did it again Friday night for a 2-1 victory to take the series. In both games the Lady Blues held a lead for a large portion of the game, but they couldn’t maintain it.

A successful season for the Lady Blues saw them finish with a 24-10 record overall, with a regular season district championship and bi-district championship added to the resume. Every player brought something different to the table, and for the seniors, though it didn’t end how they wanted, they’ll leave the program having brought home plenty of wins.

“These seniors are a special group; they’ve won a lot of games here in Graham,” Arrington said. “I think they’re flirting with 80, 90 victories (over their years in the program). It’s a fun group. I hate to see it end, but unfortunately, all good things do except for the last team playing.”

Although the Lady Blues fell short of their goals, they put up a fight in every game, including these final two. Though a number of players are moving on, the team will look to the future to keep the program at the high standard of winning to which it’s grown accustomed.

Lady Blues 4, Lady Bulldogs 5

Graham pushed out of the gate strong in the first game of the best-of-three series against Burkburnett. After starting pitcher Reese Calhoun retired the Lady Bulldogs in the first inning, the Lady Blues’ offense immediately went to work as they scored three runs in their half of the first frame.

It was a combination of walks and singles for the team as all nine hitters came to the plate in the inning. The 3-0 lead was a welcome one in a tough playoff environment, and the Lady Blues added onto it in the second inning.

Calhoun, who had singled in the first inning to spark the rally, doubled on a long fly ball to center field. Two batters later, Emily Lawson ripped a single up the middle to allow courtesy runner Larissa Warren to come around to score and give the team a 4-0 lead.

In the playoffs, it seems as though no lead is ever safe, no matter the size. In the top of the third inning, the Lady Bulldogs fought back with a rally of their own to score three runs. Calhoun was able to get out of it to hold onto the slim 4-3 lead for Graham.

The score stayed that way almost the rest of the game. Both teams’ pitchers locked in and held the other team scoreless until the seventh and final inning. It looked like Graham might get out of it but things unraveled to give Burkburnett the lead.

The Lady Bulldogs’ leadoff hitter singled but then was erased as catcher Meagan Brooks threw her out trying to steal second. The next batter reached base on an error and the third hitter grounded into a fielder’s choice to set up one runner on first base with two outs.

A single put runners on first and second base for Burkburnett’s catcher who roped a double into the gap in left-center field to score both runs and give the visitors a 5-4 lead. In the bottom half of the seventh inning, Brooks reached base on a walk but the Lady Blues couldn’t come back and dropped game one.

Lady Blues 1, Lady Bulldogs 2

Game two proved to be even more of a battle than the first matchup. Both teams sent the same pitcher to the circle in a must-win game for each side.

While this contest had considerably less offense, the atmosphere crackled with intensity. Once again, the Lady Blues broke through the ice first in the fourth inning when Calhoun reached base on a Burkburnett error.

The next batter, Brooks, waited for her pitch and slammed a ball that hit the top of the fence in center field and bounced back into play. While the catcher missed a home run by a foot or two, it was long enough for a triple which helped Warren — running for Calhoun — come around to score for a 1-0 lead.

As the teams prepared for the bottom of the fifth inning, the game was delayed due to lightning in the area.

The players, coaches and fans waited an hour and a half before being allowed to safely resume the game.

It wasn’t until the bottom of the sixth inning that Burkburnett made its move and came through with the clutch hits to pull ahead 2-1.

The game ended on a somewhat controversial call when Peyton Dobbs hit a grounder that was bobbled by the first baseman on the throw. When the player reached down to gain control of the ball, it appeared her foot had come off the base but the umpire called Dobbs out anyway and the game and the Lady Blues’ season came to an end.

“I love this group of girls… we had an opportunity there and it’s just the way the cookie crumbles out there,” Arrington said. “But it was a great series and these girls will fight, they’re going to go do great things in the future and I love each and everyone of them.”