The Quitman Lady Bulldogs fought hard but their trip to the state playoffs ended last Thursday when they fell to Queen City in the second game 4-2 after losing the day before 11-2.

The softball stadium at East Texas Baptist University filled up early last Wednesday with a crowd of 500 fans for the opening game of the two out of three series.

In the opening contest, there was no score in the first three innings. Quitman’s Angie Luman pitched a masterful first three innings shutting down the offensive arsenal of Queen City before giving way to Kennedi Elmore. Luman gave up six hits. 

The fourth inning proved to be a tough one on Quitman. Queen City scored six runs on three base hits in the top of the fourth. Luman left the mound and was replaced by Elmore. For the game, Quitman had five errors with passed balls. Only five of Queen City’s 11 runs were earned.

In the sixth inning Queen City was looking to earn a mercy run win as they led 10-0, but Quitman would not give in, putting up two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Addie Marcee got on with a single followed by a double from Peyton Kruckner and the third hit of the game for Luman making the score 10-2. Queen City added a run in the top of the seventh inning while the Lady Dogs went three-up three-down. 

In game two, Elmore came back to pitch a solid game giving up eight hits while striking out 10 from a good-hitting Queen City team. Quitman had six hits in the close game. Larkin Spears had two hits to lead the Lady Bulldogs. Elmore was solid and still throwing strong after 128 pitches.

Queen City led 2-0 when Quitman struck back to tie the game 2-2 in the top of the fourth inning. Queen City put the game away with two more runs in the sixth inning to take a 4-2 lead which would be enough for the win and earn the bi-district championship.

The game was the last one for three seniors. Kudos to senior Luman, who stuck it out while dealing with injuries going back into the basketball season, pitched and hit well throughout the year. She was hurt midway through the second game of bi-district, but she refused to come out and finished her career as a warrior battling to the last out. 

Quitman will also lose two of their most consistent players, seniors Alexis O’Neal and Carly Spears. O’Neal did a great job pitching this year as she has for her entire Lady Bulldog career. She also played on the infield when not pitching and led the team as the lead-off batter. Spears has done a solid job playing in the outfield most of the season and coming up with timely hits in key games.

In Coach Allison Head’s first season at the helm, the former Lady Bulldog star will have many players back and has the nucleus to continue to build for next season. Under Head’s leadership, the Lady Bulldogs made the state playoffs for the first time in a decade.