SEGUIN — Only two runs have been scored against Weimar in its last eight playoff wins.
It took Shiner only four batters to outdo that number in their Class 2A Regional Final Game 1.
The Lady Comanches got three consecutive hits off of Weimar starting pitcher Reagan Wick in the first inning to take an early 3-0 lead.
They were able close out the Ladycats and come away with a 4-3 win on Thursday at Texas Lutheran University’s Theo Morck Softball Field, giving them a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.
Game 2 is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday at Texas State University. Game 3, if needed, would be played following Game 2.
“It was huge,” Shiner head coach Jason Keller said about the win. “I think it builds confidence in a lot of the girls and it’s a motivational factor for us going in on Saturday knowing we can accomplish what we want to accomplish in beating a really good Weimar team.”
Freshman Addy Siegel put the Lady Comanches (30-5) on the board first after hitting a ball off the rightfield wall to score Brinley Ramirez. Paeden Vincik hit another deep ball to bring in Siegel, then Rylee Vancura was able to score Vincik’s courtesy runner, Sadie Carter, to finish scoring in the inning.
The big start from Lady Comanches against Wick, who is committed to Colorado State, proved to be the spark that they needed against their District 29-2A rival. The two teams split their regular season series 1-1.
“It’s a big confidence booster for us and our girls to know that, ‘Okay, we can score off of (Wick) and be able to take the lead early, especially being the home team putting pressure on them right from the start,” Keller said.
Weimar (35-7-1) came back with three runs of its own in the third inning to tie it. Two came from the bat of the senior Wick, who hit a double to score Izzy Reeves and Madison Luckey. The other came off of an RBI from Taylor Smith.
However, Vincik was able to respond by scoring Brinley Ramirez in the fifth inning, giving her team the eventual game-winning run.
“When I was in the batters box I just said I need to make contact with the ball so I can get my runner in on third,” Vincik said.
Weimar had the game-tying run on third in the sixth inning, but the Lady Comanches were able to hold them out.
“I got to give our girls kudos for giving up three in the first and we come back to tie it up,” said Weimar head coach Roger Maupin. “We had opportunities, we just didn’t take advantage of it and they had one and they took advantage of it. That’s the difference in the game.”
Freshman Lauren Springfield picked up the win for the Lady Comanches in the circle, pitching 6.1 innings, throwing two strikeouts and allowing five hits.
“I feel like I performed pretty well other than towards the end I kind of died off a little bit, but we’ll work on that,” she said.
The win moves Shiner one win away from advancing to the program’s first state tournament since 2017.
“I think we just need to stay focused and not got too comfortable with our situation right now,” Springfield said.
Class 2A Regional Final
Shiner 4, Weimar 3
Weimar 003 000 0 — 3 5 1
Shiner 300 010 X — 4 6 1
W: Lauren Springfield. L: Reagan Wick. Highlights: (W) Reagan Wick 1-for-3, 2 RBI; Taylor Smith 2-for-2, RBI; Izzy Reeves 1-for-4, R. (S) Lauren Springfield 6.1 IP, 2 K, 5 H; Paeden Vincik 1-for-3, 2 RBI; Addy Siegel 2-for-3, RBI, R; Brinley Ramirez 1-for-2, 2 R. Records: Weimar 35-7-1, Shiner 30-5.
