Lady Chargers finish 4th in 26-5A play, will open playoffs this week

The Champion softball team closed out the regular season last week with two meaningful games and split the two.

On Wednesday, the Chargers beat Kerrville Tivy to clinch a playoff spot, and on Friday, Champion hosted Buda Johnson to decide third and fourth place in 26-5A.

Champion topped Tivy, 3-1, to get in and then lost to the Jaguars, 7-6, and will be the No. 4 seed in the district.

Champion opens the playoffs this week and it’ll be a tall task for the Chargers team that faces No. 1 Leander and pitcher Savannah Geurin, a University of Oklahoma signee.

Vs. Johnson

All the fireworks happened late in Friday’s 7-6 loss. Johnson was winning 3-1, but the Chargers scored 3 in the fifth and took a 4-3 lead.

T h e Jags had a big inning in the sixth and plated 4 runs to take a 7-4 lead. Champion tried to rally in the sixth and scored two to make it a 1-run game at 7-6.

After Johnson didn’t score in the seventh, the Chargers came up to bat and had the tying run at third but with two outs and the Jags were able to get out of the inning without giving up a run.

Kassidy Kureska entered in the sixth and hit a solo home run for the Chargers, who had 12 hits in the game.

Riley Murrish finished with 3 hits and 2 runs scored, Gabi Vela recorded 2 hits and 2 RBI, Krista Tarver had 3 hits and 2 RBI, while Ashley Ottmers, Carmen Vela and Finley Shanley all singled.

Ottmers, Madison Hall and Jaycee Bendele all scored once.

Carmen Vela went all 7 innings and threw 123 pitches, gave up 9 hits, 6 earned runs, fanned 7 and walked 5.

Vs. Tivy

Madison Hall had the big hit in Wednesday’s game, moved from Tuesday. With the game tied at 1-1, Hall doubled in the top of the sixth to bring in two runs and give Champion the 3-1 lead, which held until the end.

It was Hall’s second double of the game and she finished with 3 RBI, Jaycee Bendele plated 2 runs, while Ashley Ottmers, Riley Murrish, Gabi Vela, Carmen Vela and Ava Trevino all singled, with Trevino scoring a run.

Carmen Vela went the distance in the circle and threw 119 pitches, gave up 6 hits, 1 run, fanned 7 and walked 2.

Softball Playoffs

*Champion vs. Leander in Marble Falls, Thursday, 6 p.m.

*Boerne vs. Gonzales in Marion, Thursday at 7 p.m.

Game 2 Saturday at noon and Game 3 to follow if needed.