Bullard Heat takes third place in state tourney
Photo by M.D. 'Doc' Smith The Bullard Heat recently took third-place in the TTSA State Softball Tournament held in Whitehouse. Team members include on Front Row (right to left)- Sara Wakefield, Sarah Ritch, Abbey Covey, Hannah Smith, Morgan Brooks, Lainie Lassiter. Second Row (r to l)- Morgan Clark, Brianna Young, Lexi Crenshaw, Karlyee Moore, Ashleigh Gillard, Savannah Schaeffer, Kaitlyn Staines. Third Row (r to l)- Coaches John Stains, Ricky Clark, and Matt Wakefield. WHITEHOUSE - After a second round loss to the Salado Lynx, the Bullard Heat had their work cut-out for them if they wanted to take home the TTSA 10-U girl's state softball crown.
The Whitehouse Heartbreakers defeated Salado 11-1 in the championship to take the title and finish the season undefeated at 18-0.
The Heat could not have represented Bullard any better, fighting back to play seven games in five days, before the Lynx won a rematch in the semi-finals game, 10-3 on Friday night.
The loss ended the Heat's successful season with a 16-3 record overall and a 5-2, ledger at the state competition.
Top - Heat catcher, Morgan Brooks makes the catch and waits to make the tag out in the third-place game against Salado. Middle - Firstbaseman, Lainie 'Stretch' Lassiter makes the grab for the out in action from the Lindale win on Wednesday night. Bottom - Bullard's, Ashleigh Gillard comes across to score for the Heat. "I could not be prouder of these girl's and the hard work and effort they put in all season long," said Heat head coach, Matt Wakefield. "We played hard and beat some very good teams, and if these girl's will continue on with the game, they have the potential to be in a lot more state tournaments."
The Heat placed first in regular season play with a 11-1, record.
Team members from Whitehouse Yard-Dawgs were added to the Heat roster for the state tourney.
Representing Bullard with the third-place finish are team members Ashleigh Gillard, Lainie Lassiter, Kaitlyn Stains, Hannah Smith, pickup player, Lexie Crenshaw, Sarah Ritch, Morgan Brooks, Sarah Wakefield, Morgan Clark, Abbey Covey, Karlyee Moore, Brianna Young, and Savannah Schaeffer
TTSA STATE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
at Whitehouse Baseball and Softball Complex
BULLARD HEAT - GAME-BY-GAME
GAME ONE
Right-handed hurler, Morgan Clark handcuffed Frost from the mound, tossing a no-hitter as the Bullard Heat started off the TTSA State Tournament in dominating fashion, 10-4.
Clark struggled somewhat with nine walks but countered with 10 strikeouts, and all four runs by Frost unearned.
Heat, battery-mate, catcher Morgan Brooks did most of the damage at the plate for the Heat, going 3-for-4, with a RBI-double.
Heat hot-wheeled lead-off hitter, Ashleigh Gillard went 2- for-2, scoring three times to lead the attack.
Teammates, Kaitlyn Staines was 2-of-3, with two runs scored, and Lexi Crenshaw busted a double to go with her two-RBI's and 2- for-3 at the plate. Game One Box Score Bullard Heat 10 The Frost 4
| Heat | 520 21- | 10 8 0 | |
| Frost | 040 00- | 4 0 2 |
Jae Moore and Hillary Schwartz. Morgan Clark and Morgan Brooks. W- Clark. LMoore. 2B- BH: Brooks, Lexi Crenshaw.
Record- Bullard 12-1
GAME TWO
The hits were few and far between for the Heat as they faced the Lynx from Salado. A team they would later see with a trophy on the line.
Five runs, in the first two innings staked the Lynx to all the runs they would need for the 7-4, win.
Three errors added to the Heat woes in the game as Ashleigh Gillard pitched a game worthy of a win. The right-hander struck out seven, walked only one while surrendering five singles.
Gillard also paced the Heat at the plate with a 2-for-2, performance, scoring three runs and smashing a double.
Lainie "Stretch" Lassiter had a 2-for-3 showing with the stick and scoring a run. Thirdsacker, Hannah Smith also went 2-for-4 in the losing effort. Game Two Box Score Salado Lynx 7 Bullard Heat 4
| Heat | 100 021- | 4 7 3 | |
| Lynx | 230 20x- | 7 5 0 |
Jenna Wagnon and Rachel Evans. Ashleigh Gillard. WWagnon. L- Gillard. 2B- BH: Gillard.
Record- Bullard Heat 12-2
GAME THREE
Bullard Heat 4, Lindale Shock 2
It was a pitching and defensive gem deluxe as the Heat scored four runs in the first two innings to hold off the Lindale Shock, 4-2.
Hannah Smith was stellar at the plate, going 3-for-3, starting the scoring with a two RBI triple in the first inning, and a 2-0, Heat lead.
Lindale's, Manda Smith answered the scoring with a first inning two-RBI double to knot the game back up at 2-2.
Morgan Brooks however made the knockout punch in the second inning as she slammed a two-RBI triple, for a 4-2 lead that would stand.
Heat thrower, Morgan Clark on the mound was a force with eight strikeouts and four walks allowed while giving into the two doubles by White.
Kaitlyn Staines chipped in with one hit and a run scored for the Heat.
| Heat 220 000- | 4 5 0 | |
| Shock 200 000- | 2 2 0 | |
Morgan Clark and Morgan Brooks. W- Clark. 2B- LS: Manda White (2). 3B- BH: Hannah Smith, Morgan Brooks.
Records- Bullard Heat 13- 2
GAME FOUR
The Heat came out with their party sticks swinging as they rattled off 20 hits in the 13-3, win over Chandler's SWAT.
It was the Heat with the attitude at the plate though as they jumped out with a 6-0 lead led by one of two Hannah Smith triples in the game in the opening stanza.
Six more runs in the sixth inning accounted for the runaway score, paced by the other Smith three-bagger.
Gillard was too tough for SWAT on the mound as she fanned 10, and walked only five in the two-hitter. Game Four Box Score Bullard Heat 13 Chandler SWAT 3
| Heat | 610 | 006- 13 20 2 | |
| SWAT | 000 300- 3 2 5 | ||
Ashleigh Gillard and Morgan Brooks. Madison Timmerman and Kelsey Lemus. W- Gillard. L- Lemus. 3B-BH: Hannah Smith (2).
Records- Bullard Heat 14- 2
GAME FIVE
Heat infielder, Sarah Ritch clouted a two-RBI double to start the Heat scoring in the first inning, and the Bullard squad never looked back, taking a 10-3, win over CTFA West on Thursday.
Morgan Clark went the distance on the hill, producing six strikeouts, with three walks, and one earned run. At the plate, Clark aided her cause with two hits and two runs.
Lexi Crenshaw highlighted a six-run, second inning with a two-RBI double as Sarah Wakefield added two hits in the same inning as the Heat batted around.
The West mounted a minor rally in the third inning, only to have it turned back by a Hannah Smith unassisted double play at third base.
Earlier in the game, Smith finished off an inning with a diving catch in foul territory to retire the side with a runner at third.
Ritch walked and Morgan Brooks reached base on a hardhit shot, to eventually score the final runs for the Heat.
The West got their two hits off Clark in the final inning to account for the 10-3, final score. Game Five Box Score Bullard Heat 0 CTFA West 3
| Heat 360 100- 10 9 3 | |
| CTFA West 100 200- 3 2 6 |
Morgan Clark and Brooks Morgan. Brianna Joyce, Maddison Kettler (2), and Cailey Kolbet. W- Clark. LJoyce. 2B- BH: Sarah Ritch, Lexie Crenshaw.
Records- Bullard Heat 15- 2
GAME SIX
The Texas Heat appeared to have the Bullard crew down, but they were not out, as the Bullard girl's tied the game at 3- 3, before a climatic sixth inning score earned the comeback win in the late game on Thursday night.
Taking a 3-0 lead in the first inning, the Texas team from Moody held the Heat in check for three innings.
The Heat sticks finally came around and evened up the game in the bottom of the fourth inning as Crenshaw singled, followed by a Ritch single.
Morgan Brooks then slapped a two-run double for a 3-2 count. Brooks scored on a rare throwing miscue by the Texas Heat to bring the score to a 3-3, deadlock.
The game winner for Bullard came in the final at-bat, as Ritch led-off the inning with a rip in between third and shortstop. Catcher, Morgan Brooks followed that up with a single, putting the Moody crew in bad need of some help, with two on and no outs.
Wakefield then stepped in and ripped a pitch past the firstbaseman, as Ritch leaped on the plate with the winning run to end the nail-biter at 4-3. Game Six Box Score Bullard Heat 4 Texas Heat 3
| Texas Heat 300 000- 3 5 3 | |
| Bullard Heat 000 301- 4 10 2 |
Ashleigh Gillard and Morgan Brooks. 2B- TH: Kourtney House. BH: Morgan Brooks.
Records- Bullard Heat 16- 2
THIRD-PLACE GAMEGame
Seven
The Lynx had the Heats number once again as the Salado crew jumped out to a 7- 1, lead on the way to a 9-3, final score.T
he Bullard crew had their backs against the wall, needing a win over Salado, and a double dip win to take the tourney title.
Four walks, two singles and triple by Salado in a six-run second stanza would be the difference maker in the game.
Gillard walked and scored on a single by Hannah Smith in the first inning for the Heat.
The third inning run for Bullard came in as Morgan Clark walked, and scored on a fielders choice off the bat of Lainie Lassiter.
The Heat tacked on one final run in their last at-bat as Ritch roped a single in between the shortstop and third base. Brooks singled, and Wakefield hit a smash past the firstbaseman for the final Heat run of the season.
Kaitlyn Staines was the only Heat player with two hits, with Gillard, Smith, Crenshaw, Brooks and Wakefield accounting for the Heat's other singles in the game. Game Seven Box Score Salado Lynx 9 Bullard Heat 3
| Lynx | 160 101- 9 9 0 |
| Heat 101 001- 3 7 2 |
Records- Bullard Heat 16- 3
CHAMPIONSHIP
GAME
Whitehouse Heartbreakers 11, Salado Lynx 1
DEFENSIVE MVPRonnie Fountain, Whitehouse Heartbreakers
OFFENSIVE MVP- Jenna Wagnon, Salado Lynx
TOURNAMENT MVPMicah Gray, Whitehouse Heartbreakers
