Aubrey’s magical softball run to the state tournament fell short during a 5-1 loss in the UIL Class 4A semifinals against Corpus Christi Calallen on Thursday at McCombs Field in Austin.
The Chaparrals end the season 34-8 with their first appearance at state since 2007. Most of the players on the team weren’t even born yet.
Calallen (29-6-2) will play two time defending champ Liberty in the 4A title game at 10 am Saturday in Austin. Liberty beat Decatur 9-1 on Thursday.
Sophomore pitcher Mya Cherry, who had been superb during her last three outings from the circle, kept Calallen at bay for the first two innings. After issuing a walk to the first batter of the game, Cherry shut down the next five batters in a row.
She fired back to back strikeouts to end the top of the second.
Meanwhile Calallen freshman pitcher Jordyn Thibodeaux was in the zone all night.
Tamia Cherry got a one out single in the bottom of the first inning for Aubrey before a grounder back to the circle resulted in a 1-6-3 double play to end the frame.
Aubrey had some momentum going in the bottom of the second when Abby Buxton drilled the first pitch to center and senior Bree Jones followed with a hit up the middle to put two on and one out for the Chaps.
However, Thibodeaux got the second out and then a called third strike to end the threat.
The Wildcats were able to load the bases in the top of third before getting a bases clearing double from Audryna Almarez to right center that gave Calallen a 3-0 lead. Alaunah Almarez followed one batter later and ripped an RBI double to left to push the lead to 4-0.
Cherry was able to strike out the side to limit the damage.
Brooklyn Weier got another Aubrey runner on base with a walk in the fourth, but a grounder to short ended it. Calallen stranded two base runners after Cherry fired back to back strikeouts to up her total to seven on the night.
Aubrey managed to get a hit in the fifth and sixth innings by Mya Cherry and Buxton, but each time, Thibodeaux got out of it without a mark.
Jones led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk and advanced to second on a grounder from senior Abby Hammett. Mya Cherry hit a deep RBI double to drive home Jones and Aubrey avoided the shutout before Thibodeaux finished off the win.
Cherry (16-3) struck out 15 batters last week in the regional final against Van Alstyne to help Aubrey clinch. She threw back to back gems, both 1-0 wins, in the regional semis vs Sulphur Springs.
On Thursday, she finished with five runs on eight hits, one walk and seven strikeouts.
Thibodeaux (20-2) allowed one run on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
This was Aubrey’s fourth overall trip to the softball state tourney. The Chaps had reached state three times in a span of six years in the earlier 2000s. This was Calallen’s third trip overall, with all of them coming since 2019.
