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Softball team to face Katy in return to state title game for second time in 3 years
Head coach Lori Alexander offers a high five to third baseman A’Leecia Bell during Game 2 of the softball regional finals against Keller on lMay 29 in Argyle. Bell made the final out against San Benito on Friday in the Farmers 3-2 win to advance to the state final against Katy.
The girls are back in town.
The Farmers (28-6) will face Katy (35-6) at 4 p.m. in Austin today for the inaugural 6A state championship game.
It’s all about who wants it more and who is going to give all they have to get the win and reach their goal.
— junior Lindsay French
The Farmers won the 5A title in 2013, defeating Kingwood. LHS overcame a late rally by San Benito on Friday to win its semifinal game, 3-2. Katy defeated The Woodlands in the earlier semifinal, 2-1.
“I feel confident and really hype against Katy for today’s game,” junior outfielder Lindsay French said. “It’s all about who wants it more and who is going to give all they have to get the win and reach their goal.”
The game will likely feature a matchup between starting pitchers Kourtney Coveney for Katy and Maribeth Gorsuch for LHS. Coveney, a senior who will play for West Texas A&M next year, is also a top hitter for the Tigers. Coveney had two RBI singles in Friday’s game, including the game-winner in the eighth inning. She also hit a game-winning eighth inning home run against Brazoswood in Game 1 of Katy’s regional final.
“I like (being in the spot to provide a clutch hit), because then I can show my team that I really do have their back,” Coveney told the Houston Chronicle.
Gorsuch, a junior who has committed to LSU, flirted with a no-hitter on Friday against the San Benito Hounds, with the Farmers leading 3-0 heading into the bottom of the 7th. But San Benito rallied to score 2 and had the bases loaded when third baseman A’Leecia Bell fielded a ground ball for the final out.
Gorsuch struck out 11 and went 2 for 3 with an RBI single and an RBI double. She also walked in the top of the 7th to set up the winning run on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Kaylee Rodriquez.
“I was pretty nervous, but I had faith in my team,” said Gorsuch to the Dallas Morning News, regarding San Benito’s late rally.
The Farmers had a large contingent of fans supporting them at Friday’s game, leading a Fox Sports Southwest announcer to comment that it was the largest crowd to show up in support of one team at the state tournament so far.
NOTES: Saturday’s championship game will be played at McCombs Field at the University of Texas at Austin. This is the second state final for both teams. LHS was down 2-0 in the 2013 final before rallying to win 5-2. Katy lost 1-0 to Garland in 2007. Gorsuch improved to 24-4 as a pitcher with Friday’s win and has struck out 337 batters in 204 2/3 innings this season, according to the Dallas Morning News.
Editor’s note: For those of you who can’t be apart of the Rowdy Crowd on Saturday, the game will be webcast live on the Fox Sports Southwest website, or available on a delayed schedule on Fox Sports Southwest television, starting June 13 at 8 p.m. Also check out the twitter pages @FARMERSsoftball and your very own @FarHarNews for play-by-play action and updates. Nick McGuire contributed to this story.
