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Joshua sophomore pitcher Bella Lambert threw a gem to help the Owls clinch the series over Argyle 6-2 in Game 3 of their Class 5A D2 area-round series on Friday night.
The Owls (28-7) advance to the third round for the second time in 3 years. Joshua will face Abilene Wylie (22-13), which dispatched El Paso Del Valle in 2 games, 5-2 and 5-0.
Their 3-game set will start Friday night at Graham.
Joshua scored more runs on Friday than Game 1 and 2 combined while the Owls got 3 in the bottom of the first inning in Game 3. Leilanie Sam and Taylor Proffitt hit back-to-back RBI singles and Bella Brown drove in Sam with a sacrifice fly to give the Owls a 3-0 edge.
“I had more nerves than they did,” Joshua coach Ashley Benson said. “When I saw them everyone single of them said this game is ours, we’re winning this game and the Joshua Owls are coming out on top. They refused to lose and they were a force on the field and in the dugout.
“Their pitcher is phenomenal, but we had to stay patient and not chase.”
Molly Young hit a lead-off single in the second and came around to score on an RBI single from Sam that made it 4-0.
The Owls added 2 runs in the fifth inning on an RBI double from Proffitt, who then scored on a single to right field by Evelyn Tate.
“I think the early runs lit another type of fire within us which normally that’s who we are,” Benson said. “We’ve been working very hard this season on scoring first and continuing to score.”
Lambert allowed 2 hits and 0 runs through 6 innings before the Eagles (17-18) scored both runs in the top of the seventh. Lambert finished the complete-game win with 5 hits allowed and 2 strikeouts.
“Game 2 was a hard loss so I woke up and ready to go,” Lambert said. “Argyle was very aggressive in the count and they were chasing pitches. I was getting them on the drop pretty good.
“The early lead did a lot for my comfort level because I knew my defense and offense had my back.”
Added Benson, “We left 14 runners on base in Game 2. We knew we couldn’t do that in Game 3.”
She was even better in Joshua’s Game 1 win – going all 9 innings as the Owls won 3-1. Lambert allowed 1 unearned run on 6 hits and struck out 6 Eagles.
Tate drove in the go-ahead run and Alexis White scored the insurance run for the Owls in the top of the ninth inning.
Joshua had a chance for the sweep on Thursday, leading 2-0 after 6, but Argyle scored 3 runs in the top of the seventh to win Game 2 to even the series.
The Eagles loaded the bases with 1 out in the seventh before Brooklyn Barnett scored on a Joshua error that made it 2-1. Reagan King and Heather Harbach then scored on a fielder’s choice by Emily Davis to give Argyle a 3-2 lead.
Landrie Durham hit a lead-off single in the Joshua seventh, but Argyle pitcher Presley Hawkesworth got the next three batters out.
White started in the circle for Joshua in Game 2 and allowed 4 hits and struck out 5 before being pulled for Lambert with 1 out in the seventh.
Hawkesworth pitched all 22 innings in the series for Argyle and finished with 11 strikeouts. She didn’t allow an earned run in Game 2.
“This year has been amazing,” Lambert said. “We love each and everyone gets along with each other so much. We get along so well.
