BY BRIAN GOSSET
X – @gosset41
X – @gmsportsmedia1
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ARLINGTON – Senior Raegan Haar hit the bases clearing triple as Dallas Christian walked it off 6-5 against Corpus Christi Incarnate Word during the TAPPS Division 3 state championship game on Saturday at UT-Arlington’s Allan Saxe Field.
It’s the Chargers’ first title in program history.
“It was crazy. At first I didn’t realize we beat them, I thought it was just tied so when I got to third I stayed down for a minute and was thinking about how to score and coach T said you just won it, and oh my gosh, wow – all the emotions just hit when I heard that,” said Haar, who will continue softball at Western Oklahoma State College.
Added coach Taneshia Burgess, “To bring the school the first one – fighting all the adversity, it’s just amazing. To win it the way we won it, it’s like movie.”
After giving up a two-out two-run home run in the top of the first inning, Dallas Christian got on the board in the bottom of the second to pull within 2-1. Zailey Freeman was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and then stole second base.
“When they hit that home run, it kind of felt like last year, said Burgess, who lost in the state semifinals last season. “But the difference between last year and this year, they fought every inning and picked each other up. I couldn’t ask for a better ending.”
Freeman scored on the next at bat when Chloe Solis hit a 2-2 pitch to right field.
Incarnate Word loaded the bases in the third with two outs before DC pitcher Chloe Rodriguez picked up a strikeout to end the inning. The Chargers left a runner on base in the bottom of the frame.
The Angels got a lead off single in the fourth before Rodriguez shut down the side with back to back strikeouts and a grounder to Freeman at short. Freeman got a lead off walk and reached third, but couldn’t come in to score – leaving it 2-1 for Incarnate Word.
Rodriguez shut down the order in the top of the fifth.
Rodriguez hit a lead off single and two batters later senior Sammi Boothe (Kansas Christian College signee) smacked a towering shot off the left field pole for a two-run home run – giving the Chargers their first lead at 3-2.
Incarnate Word scored three runs in the sixth to go back in front.
The Angels got a walk and hit batter followed by a two-run single that tied the game at 3-3.
After one out, the Angels got an RBI ground out to grab a 4-3 edge.
Freeman led the bottom of the sixth with another walk and Haar singled to center to put runners on second and first. Both runners stole second and third, but Dallas Christian couldn’t drive in a run as Incarnate Word pitcher Arisela Perez struck out the side.
The first three Angels reached in the top of the seventh before the Chargers picked up back to back outs for relief pitcher Clara Hamil. An error on Dallas Christian scored an insurance run for the Angels – extending the lead to 5-3. Hamil was able to get a batter to pop up in foul ground to send it to the bottom of the seventh. After a lead off strikeout, Boothe was intentionally walked. A pop up resulted in the second out and Breanna Finneran singled to right. Freeman picked up another walk to load the bases.
Haar took a strike before ripping the 0-1 pitch to right center for the game winner.
Haar, Boothe, Rodriguez and Freeman were named to the all-tournament team.
“Recently, my confidence has been up when it comes to hitting,” Haar said. “When they walked Zailey, I knew I had more to prove to Incarnate Word. My first at bats didn’t go as I wanted so it was my chance.”
Dallas Christian lost to Bullard Brook Hill in 2024.
“I love these girls. We really wanted it last year and I think we wanted it now more than anyone else in the tournament. We came in and it was personal. We wanted to get the job done and there wasn’t another option,” said Haar – one of four seniors. “We knew what we had to do to get here and we did it.”
