Season closes for L-E

MARSHALL, Texas—Liberty-Eylau got into trouble early and weren’t able to recover.

The Lady Leopards’ season came to an end with an 12-2 loss to Bullard in Game 2 of a best-of-three Class 4A area round playoff series at East Texas Baptist University’s Taylor Field on Friday.

“I am proud of them,” Liberty-Eylau head coach Kendra Cullum said. “I can’t remember the last time an L-E’s team had 22 wins in a season. We set a foundation and we have a lot to build off of. The team bought in, and I think we are going to be better next year.

“This is my first group at L-E, so I will never forget them. You have to have that first group to set the foundation. I am so excited about our future.”

The Leopards end their Class 4A bi-district championship season at 22-8-1.

The game ended with two outs in the sixth inning due to run rule.

Liberty-Eylau’s best offensive inning came in the first.

Savannah Phelps hit a little dribbler, ran it out for a single, and advanced to third on a Bullard throwing error to lead off the game for the Leopards in the first. With two outs, McKenzye Williamson, who went 2 for 3 with a pair of singles, slapped an RBI to right center.

L-E’s Mariah Coleman brought Williamson home on a double to left center to make it 2-0 after half an inning.

Bullard responded with six runs on three hits in the first. Starting Leopard pitcher Shelby Ryther struggled in the first, and Gunderson came in with no outs in the first.

The Panthers tacked on a run in the third to go up by five, 7-2. They tacked on two runs each in the fourth and the fifth to take an 11-2 lead into the sixth.

Bullard got a runner on first and she was advanced to third on a bouncy bunt. The runner scored the winning run when Jolee Dixon singled up the middle.

Keeley Norris had the other L-E hit, a single up the middle in the sixth frame.

Ryther took the loss in the circle, hit a batter, gave up five runs on two hits, and walked a pair.

Gunderson tossed seven innings for the Leopards, allowed seven runs, struck out two, walked four, and scattered nine hits.