By Brian Gosset
X – @gosset41
X – @gmsportsmedia1
Madi Doty, the area’s top-ranked softball player, hurled a no-hitter and struck out 14 to lead Grandview 3-1 over Orangefield in their 1-game Class 3A D1 regional semifinal playoff on Thursday in Lufkin.
Grandview (31-2-1), which extends its win streak to 24 games, will play Franklin or Pollok Central in next week’s Region 3 Championship.
Another win next week will send the Zebras to the Final Four for the 4th straight season. They beat Whitesboro in last year’s 3A D1 final for the program’s first title.
The Zebras scored twice in the bottom of the 1st inning. SJ Mann hit a lead-off single and advanced to second with a Kenna Collins’ single. Two batters later and KJ Hubbard loaded the bases with a walk. Ally May hit a hard grounder to right field that scored Mann for a 1-0 lead.
Collins added to the lead when she scored on a wild pitch.
Collins hit a lead-off single in the 3rd and May and Taryn Jackson loaded the bases, but the Zebras couldn’t add to the lead. Collins scored Mann with an RBI triple in the 4th that pushed Grandview’s lead to 3-0.
Orangefield (35-2) got its only run in the top of the 6th off two errors by Grandview. Madi LaSalle hit a pitch with 1-out and a throw to first was off and went into right field. Another throwing error on the same play by the Zebras and LaSalle came around to score.
Doty struck out the order in the 7th. Doty is a senior and signed to play at the University of Texas.
The Bobcats came into the game on a 28-game winning streak.
