BY BRIAN GOSSET
X – @gosset41
X – @gmsportsmedia1
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DENTON – Guyer junior Finley Montgomery bounced back after giving up three base runners and one run in the top of the first inning to lead the Wildcats to a 5-1 victory over Forney during Game 1 of their Class 6A Division 2 state semifinal series on Tuesday at Guyer HS.
The Wildcats (33-4) look to close out the series and clinch a spot in the 6A D2 championship in Game 2 – 7 pm Wednesday at Forney (32-2-1). Guyer handed the Jackrabbits just their second loss of the season and snapped their 17-game winning streak.
Forney will look to force a Game 3 on Saturday in Duncanville.
“We’re going to have to score to win anyways – we look at that as a positive. I’m fine with giving up one run to a really great team,” said Montgomery, a Notre Dame commit.
Going up against Forney sophomore Emmie Santos, Montgomery had a shaky start in the top of the first inning that featured a hit and pair of walks. The Jackrabbits had runners on first and second and one out when Emma Boren singled to right center driving in Eva Daniels to give Forney a 1-0 lead.
But Montgomery limited the damage and struck out the side leaving two runners on base.
Santos kept the 1-0 lead after the opening frame – working around a lead off single and two out error. Freshman catcher Ryann Harris would catch a runner stealing second and Santos picked up two strikeouts.
Forney had two runners on in the second and one out when a soft liner came back to Montgomery, who made the catch and the threw to first to double off the runner.
Guyer had a runner on second when Forney first baseman Ashlyn Oscars made a nice catch that would have scored a run if it had gone to the outfield.
Guyer tied it at 1-1 in the bottom of the third on a sac fly by Martinez. Emma Richard led off with a double and went to third on a bunt by Bri Williams.
Montgomery began to really heat up with clean innings in the fourth and fifth. Guyer loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the fourth but Santos was able to get a grounder to Boren at second who flipped the ball to Daniels for the force.
Two reached in the Guyer fifth which included a double by Chloe O’Brien before Montgomery drove a low pitch to left center for a three-run home run giving the Wildcats a 4-1 edge and forcing Forney to switch pitchers with senior Cailey Slade, who won the regional final against Tomball.
“It was something low. Maybe a drop ball or drop curve, but I’m really happy was able to hit it,” Montgomery said. “I had to wait a little bit but it kept going so I was really excited.”
The Wildcats escaped trouble in the top of the sixth.
Forney loaded the bases after Guyer coach Keith Medford intentionally walked sophomore hitter Domiana English with one out. Montgomery was able to get the second out on the next pitch with a shallow fly out. With two outs, the Jackrabbits got a pop fly in left and there was a collision between Martinez and left fielder Isla Arel, but Martinez came up with the catch – saving three runs and keeping Guyer in front.
“I had to go all out for Fin. She puts everything on the line for us and she works really hard. At the end of the day, we wanted it more so we have to give it our all,” Martinez said.
Martinez added an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth to drive in Williams and extend the Guyer lead to 5-1.
Montgomery allowed just two hits – one hit and no runs after the first inning and finished with six strikeouts.
This is Guyer’s third consecutive appearance in the state semifinals. The Wildcats lost to Pearland in the 6A title game during the 2023 season and lost to Weslaco in the semis last season. They defeated FM Marcus in two games last week for the Region 1 title.
This is Forney’s sixth trip to the semis and first since going back-to-back in 2018 and 2019.
