Carroll softball advances with some drama
Cardiac is the word that best suits the Carroll softball team. While the Lady Dragons swept South Grand Prairie in their Class 6A Region I bi-district series, they did it in the most heart-stopping manner.
The Lady Dragons (22-10) had to rally from deficits in each game to advance to this weekend’s area playoff against Plano West.
Carroll rallied from 10-5 in the seventh with six to take the series opener, 11-10. Trailing 5-4 in the second game on Saturday, Carroll scored three runs between the fifth and seventh innings to win the series, 7-5. Friday’s game at South Grand Prairie was washed away because of the rain. The series finished at Northwest V.R. Eaton.
“Our girls definitely had the never-quit attitude,” Carroll coach Tim Stuewe said. “When you have to come back in each game, it shows you how mentally tough your team is. I wish we had started quicker. But I’ll take it.”
What made Thursday’s opener feel like it was destiny was how it ended. To start, the first seven Carroll batters reached base and eventually tied the game, 10-10. The Lady Dragons had runners at second and third with two out before SGP decided to intentionally walk Abigail Stuart to load the bases to set up a force play at any base.
But with Arianna Maruzzi standing at third, Stuewe told her that if any of the wide ones got away from the catcher, she was dashing to the plate. Well, one did, and Maruzzi scored without a throw.
Carroll built a 4-0 lead in the second game before the Lady Warriors rallied to take a 5-4 lead. But the Lady Dragons immediately answered with McKenzie Schneider’s game-tying triple. Stuart then gave Carroll the lead for good with a long solo home run (her eighth of the season). Carroll then tacked on another run to seal it.
“It’s just one of those things where I thought we did a great job of staying with what we’re doing,” Stuewe said. “No one wanted to end the season.”
Facing the Lady Wolves
With standardized testing all week, Carroll’s area playoff game against Plano West could not start until Friday anyway. Rather than go for the best two-out-of-three series, this will be a one-game, winner-take-all scenario. Stuewe is taking his chances by flipping for the one game rather than the series.
Here’s why. Plano West, which swept Northwest Byron Nelson in the bi-district round (2-1, 5-0), features one of the area’s top pitchers in Sierra Lange. She threw a three-hit shutout in the series clinching win over the Lady Bobcats.
Now, Stuewe doesn’t have to worry about how he will use his pitching. It’s pretty much going to be red alert for both freshman Lauren Long and senior Cami Green. If one is struggling, he can easily go to the other.
But Carroll knows it is going to have to play a cleaner game than what happened with South Grand Prairie. Carroll cannot allow any free bases.
Another 20 wins
For the fifth time in Stuewe’s eight seasons, Carroll has reached 20 wins.
“We’ve reached a mindset with this program that kids want to come and be a part of it and be successful,” Stuewe said. “It’s all part of the process of what we’re trying to build.”
This story was originally published May 3, 2016 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Carroll softball advances with some drama."