The Woodlands completed a bi-district sweep of Dekaney with a 10-0 win in five innings Thursday night at Grand Oaks High School.
The Lady Highlanders outscored the Lady Wildcats 23-0 in their two wins and won by fifth-inning run rule in both outings.
The win didn’t just kick off the postseason for The Woodlands. It also marked an important return to the field.
Tennessee signee Amanda Curran, who injured her non-throwing wrist in an early March game, returned to action in the first round series.
Curran, still sporting a brace under her glove, pitched two innings of relief Wednesday night, then started and pitched four innings Thursday. Altogether, the senior allowed two hits, struck out 10 batters and walked one.
“It’s awesome,” Curran said. “It feels great and back-to-normal. I’m definitely myself again.”
The return also meant a return to the ‘blueprint for success’ Borths said the team had all along: a split circle between Curran and Avery Taylor, who carried the load for 10 games while Curran was out.
Taylor pitched four innings in the bi-district series. She struck out seven, walked two and didn’t allow a hit.
“Avery picked up a lot of the work,” Curran said of her time on the sideline. “She did amazing and I’m so proud of her. Basically, throughout the rest of the playoffs it’s just her and me. It’s just whoever’s on. We have each other’s back the whole way. It’s going to be a good ride.”
On Thursday, the Lady Highlanders steadily built their lead beginning in the second inning. Katie Emberton kicked things off with a 2-run home run that plated Skylar Stockton.
Emberton was 2-for-2 with a home run, a triple, three RBIs and an intentional walk.
“Going into today, I was really confident in my hitting,” Emberton said. “I’ve been working really hard on driving pitches and she laid it down the middle.”
The Woodlands lead grew to 5-0 in the bottom of the third. Skylar Sirdashney’s hard grounder led to an error that brought Haley Mountain and Kayla Falterman home. Sirdashney later scored on a Jordan Neely single.
Two more Lady Highlanders came home in the bottom of the fourth. Angela Wang came around from first after a throw on Mountain’s bunt made its way into right field. Mountain was plated by an Abby Jones groundout.
In the bottom of the fifth, The Woodlands got the three runs it needed to force the run rule. Emberton’s triple scored Stockton, then Neely’s double brought courtesy runner Ariel Gomez home. Pinch hitter Madison Martinez hit a single to bring Neely, the 10th run, home.
In the Region II-6A area round, The Woodlands will take on either Cypress Ranch or Leander. With Curran back, the Lady Highlanders are playing at full strength for the first time in over a month.
“Cy-Ranch and Leander are both very good ball clubs,” Borths said. “Very tough, well-disciplined and well-coached. It’s going to be a battle in this next round. Having Amanda available is going to be key.”
SOFTBALL: The Woodlands completes sweep of Dekaney