Deer Park roars into Region III-6A finals

Rematch against Katy looms after 6-2 win in semis over Cy Ranch

Deer Park coach Carrie Austgen missed two games against Katy earlier this season with a concussion.

Without her, the Deer lost both.

Now they have a chance to knock the Tigers out of the playoffs — with Austgen helmeted and back at the helm.

Second baseman Sara Vanderford went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer, and Deer Park defeated Cypress Ranch 6-2 in Game 3 to clinch their Class 6A Region III semifinals series Saturday at the University of Houston.

“Cy Ranch is awesome,” Austgen said. “They never had any quit, and they had the bats and the heart. I’m proud of my kids for stepping up.”

Deer Park (34-6) will face Katy (34-3) next week in the regional finals at a time and place they couldn’t agree on Saturday.

Their last postseason meeting was five years ago. The Deer won the onegame regional semi 2-1 en route to their first state championship. They won another title in 2014, and the Tigers won their first in 2015.

“Kalum Haack and I have been playing against each other since I was in college (at Texas A&M) and he was at Sam Houston as the coach,” Austgen said. “So he and I know each other’s antics … and we’ve just got to prepare for what his team does, and they’ve been executing really well.”

After Cy Ranch won 3-0 in Game 2 to force a decisive third meeting, Deer Park scored three runs in the first inning.

Vanderford hit a runscoring single, followed by Ash Wade’s two-run double.

“That was big because (Friday) night we didn’t (hit early), and it didn’t work in our favor,” Vanderford said.

Cy Ranch pitcher Ashley Croft didn’t give up a hit over the next four innings.

That allowed the Mustangs time to trim the deficit, with Bryce West singling and scoring on a passed ball in the fifth and Tori Lopez singling and scoring on an error in the sixth to pull within 3-2.

Austgen said the heat played a factor in their middle-inning malaise.

“This is the first hot game we’ve had,” she said. “Both of us wanted it at 7 o’clock, but because of rain we pushed it early, and thank God the rain stayed away so we could get it in.”

Vanderford made sure they didn’t need extra innings.

Her two-run blast to left field gave the Deer a 5-2 advantage, and Alysa Torres, who pinch hit for leadoff hitter McKayla Chamberlain with the bases loaded, made it 6-2 with a runscoring single to left.

“It was high,” Vanderford said. “It was my favorite pitch to hit, so I killed it, and it was wonderful.”

Maddie Nelson earned the win. The senior allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits in 62⁄3 innings. Julia York came in for one out in the sixth before Nelson re-entered and finished the contest.

Croft took the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits in 51⁄3 innings.

“It’s a great feeling,” Austgen said. “Every round, you learn a little bit more about how much grit these kids have. We just got lucky with a couple timely hits and put it together.”