Lady Leps Win District Softball Title in Thriller Over Smithville

The La Grange softball team just has one senior.

But what a perfectly scripted Senior Night it was Tuesday for Abby Dela Rosa, and her younger Lady Leps teammates in their final regular season home game of the year.

Dela Rosa (a St. Mary’s University signee) pitched a complete game five-hitter and also drove in the game-winning run as the Lady Leps edged Smithville 2-1 in a battle of rivals both ranked in the state’s Top 10.

“This was my last home game, I had to give it everything I had and leave everything out there on the field and that’s what I did,” Dela Rosa said.

The win also clinched the district title for La Grange – the first as a head coach for La Grange’s Amanda Arlund, herself an LHS grad.

“Being from here, it means more,” Arlund said. “I’m so proud of them. I know the hard work these girls put in every day and the determination they showed. We had to battle through so many intense situations tonight.

“It was a big night for Abby and I am so proud of her. She did amazing and then I couldn’t have asked for a better ending.”

On the night to honor the senior, it was one of the team’s youngest, freshman shortstop Landri Hernandez, who turned in the game’s final – and most dramatic play. Smithville was threatening in the top of the seventh inning with runners on first and second and just one out. Hernandez snagged a hard linedrive off the bat of Gabby Leal and then tagged out the runner who had strayed off second base for a game-ending double play – and then a wild celebration began on the field and in the stands, where a huge home crowd had showed up to watch.

“I just knew we had to get some type of out,” Hernandez said of that last play.

She got two instead of just one.

“I love Landri,” Dela Rosa said.

“Landri made several good defensive plays tonight,” Arlund said. “She’s played a lot of ball. She’s young but she didn’t show it.”

This game was a nail-biter throughout.

Dela Rosa gave up one first-inning run (Leal doubled in Nikollete Schmidt), but then pitched six scoreless innings, pitching out of jam after jam.

“Abby is amazing. She is such a great leader and role model,” Hernandez said. “She always keeps calm and she’s really helped me grow as a player.”

Smithville’s Brooke Otto (a McNeese State signee) pitched a complete game-seven hitter, but La Grange got all the offense it needed in the fifth inning.

Morgan Schroeder started that frame with a walk and then advanced to third on a double by Kayleigh Lehmann. Haylie Cooper hit an infield single to load the bases. Schroeder came home on a throwing error by the catcher, but Lehmann was thrown out trying to advance to third.

With two outs, Dela Rosa hit a triple to score Cooper, with what proved to be the decisive run.

Smithville continued to threaten offensively, but a pair of bases-running miscues by the Lady Tigers really cost them, including an interference call on the basepaths in the sixth that cost them the tying run.

But then in the seventh, it wasn’t a baserunning error, but rather just a great play by Hernandez that resulted in the double play.

“Smithville has been our rivals. We knew it was going to be a game like this,” Hernandez said. “All the hard work, all the hours – it paid off.”

The Lady Leps are 16-10 overall but 9-0 in district. They close out the regular season Friday at Austin LBJ and then begin the playoffs next week.