BY BRIAN GOSSET
X – @gosset41
X – @gmsportsmedia1
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ALVARADO – Melissa left nine runners on base and only managed two hits as the Cardinals dropped Wednesday’s regional final opener 2-0 against Lake Belton from Alvarado HS. Lake Belton grabs a 1-0 lead in the Class 5A Division 1 Region 2 champ series with Game 2 starting at 7 pm Friday from Cleburne HS.
The loss snapped a 49-game winning streak for Melissa, which hadn’t lost since March 28, 2024.
Melissa (34-1), #1 in the nation according to MaxPreps and #1 in the state by the TGCA, won the 5A title last season. It was the first time the Cardinals trailed all playoffs in 2025 and first time since March 26 against Prosper Walnut Grove.
Lake Belton (35-2) is ranked #4 in the state rankings.
Game 2 should feature the same pitching showdown between Melissa’s Eloisa Maes and Lake Belton’s Maddison Ruiz, who is committed to Angelo State.
Finlee Williams drew a lead off walk for Melissa in the first inning and got to second. But the Broncos turned a double play when a pitch was hit to center field and Lake Belton threw Williams out trying to take third.
Maes, a sophomore, went three up and three down to start and picked up two strikeouts. She also got a fly out to left from senior Paisley Needham.
It was a quick second inning from both pitchers with Maes picking up her third punch out of the night and a grounder to shortstop and Texas signee Caigan Crabtree.
Gabby Kuehler got on with a walk in the third for Melissa and reached second on a Shug Bradford bunt, but Ruiz got back to back pop flies to end the frame. Lake Belton went up 1-0 in the bottom of the third with a double steal attempt.
The Cardinals threw to second baseman Shug Bradford, but the runner at third scored before Bradford tagged for the last out.
Crabtree got Melissa’s first hit of the game in the fourth and the Cards had two runners on base with two outs, but Ruiz got a strikeout to end the threat.
The Broncos got a lead off bloop single to shallow right in the bottom of the fourth, but Maes got two strikeouts and another ground out to Crabtree to strand a runner at third.
Melissa had the bases loaded with one out in the fifth.
Ruiz fired back to back strikeouts to keep the Cards off the board.
Lulu Adrian hit a lead off single in the top of the sixth for Melissa, but Ruiz was able to keep Lake Belton ahead. The Broncos scored an insurance run in the bottom of the inning. An error put runners on the corners and then a run scored on a passed ball for a 2-0 lead.
Hattie Winter drew a one out walk for Melissa in the top of the seventh, but the Cardinals couldn’t muster up a run as Lake Belton shut out Melissa for a 1-0 series lead.
Ruiz went the distance and allowed two hits with seven walks and six strikeouts. Maes was the hard luck loser with six innings, two hits, one earned run, one walk and eight strikeouts.
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Guyer 9, Marcus 4
Chloe O’Brien hit two home runs and drove in four to lead the Wildcats past the Marauders during Game 1 of their Class 6A Division 2 Region 1 champ series on Wednesday.
Guyer looks to close out the series Thursday at 7:30 pm from The Colony HS.
Finley Montgomery allowed five hits and struck out 10 for Guyer, which is looking to go to the state semifinals for the third consecutive year.
Madison Joyner went 3 for 3 with a home run, double and three runs batted for the Wildcats. Marcus pitcher Chloe Poteete went all six innings for Marcus and struck out 12 batters.
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S&S 2, Boyd 1
Lily Nunn dropped down the walk off squeeze bunt and Lana Walters scored the game winning run to push the Rams past the Yellowjackets 2-1 in Game 1 of their Class 3A Division 2 Region 2 champ series on Wednesday.
S&S (25-1) can close out the series on Thursday 7 pm at Denton. It’s the Rams’ first regional final since 2009 while Boyd is making its deepest playoff run in program history.
Hayden Mowrey led S&S with one hit through seven innings and seven strikeouts. The UNT commit had a no hitter going through 6 1/3 innings when counterpart Abby Atkinson hit a solo home run with one out in the seventh for Boyd.
Atkinson allowed one earned run with seven strikeouts for the Jackets.
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Sanger 6, Sulphur Springs 2
Leala Kloewer hit a two-run home run, drove in three and starred from the circle to lead the Indians in Game 1 of their Class 4A D1 Region 2 champ series. Game 2 is set for 6 pm Friday at Forney HS.
Kloewer kept SS scoreless through the first six innings before giving up two runs in the bottom of the seventh. She struck out six batters.
Sanger led 5-0 after two.
Abby Chapmond added a solo home run for the Indians, which made the state semifinals last season.
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Muenster 11, Valley Mills 4
Skyler Reed allowed one earned run and struck out 11 to lead Muenster in Game 1 of their Class 2A D2 Region 2 champ series. Game 2 is set for 5 pm Thursday at Weatherford with a possible Game 3 to follow.
Muenster got two home runs from Lilly Johnson and Anna Warren, and scored all 11 runs in the final five innings after going scoreless through two.
