Bryan softball team advances to regional semifinals

ROCKDALE -- It took a little longer than they would've liked, but the Bryan Lady Vikings advanced to the Class 5A regional semifinals by splitting a doubleheader Friday night against District 12-5A rival Temple.

Temple entered the evening trailing the series 0-1, but pulled off a 5-4 win in Game 2 to force a third and deciding game. Bryan charged back in Game 3 to run away with a 9-4 victory thanks to a seven-run fourth inning.

Temple got off to a quick lead in Game 2 when leadoff hitter Jenna Bane scored on a three-base throwing error in the first at-bat of the home half of the first. It was the first of Bane's three runs. She scored again in the third to give the Tem-Cats a 2-0 lead.

The Lady Vikings roared back in the fourth with a big four-run inning. Erica Russell started the rally by reaching first after Temple shortstop Taylor Valentin misplayed a tricky hop that found its way to left field. A Taylor Dohnalik walk and Brooke Parker single loaded the bases for Patty Gorzycki. Gorzycki hit a liner to Valentin, who threw wide of first base trying to double off Parker, allowing Russell to score. Third baseman Megan Kraatz came up next and blasted the eighth pitch of the at-bat to deep left for a bases-clearing triple. Kraatz would score two batters later to round out the big inning.

Temple came back in the bottom of the fifth with two runs to tie the game, then took the lead with a game-winning RBI single by Bane.

Bryan head coach Enrique Luna gathered the team in the intermission before Game 3 and reminded them that this situation was nothing new.

"We were here a week ago," Luna said. "We lost to Garland by one run and it was a very similar situation."

Luna said he told his team that he wanted them to be able to look at each other after the game and know they did the best they could. The team responded with an energized performance in the final game of the series.

The Lady Vikings jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to some basepath hustle by Gorzycki. The Bryan leadoff hitter singled to start the game, took second on a sac bunt, third on a wild pitch and finally scored on a sac fly.

Temple's freshman pitcher Lexi Smith, who threw every pitch for the Tem-Cats in the series settled down after that until the fourth inning, when the Bryan bats sprang to life.

After 17 innings of seeing her, the Lady Vikings seemed to catch on to her timing in a seven-run fourth inning. Russell, Kraatz and Brittney Jones provided the spark in the inning. Russell batted twice in the inning, picking up two hits and an RBI. Kraatz had one of her five extra base hits and one of her four RBIs of the night and Jones a long two-run triple as the Lady Vikings plated six of their runs that inning with two outs.

Bryan with tack on another run in the fifth, and hold off a Tem-Cat surge in the fifth for the win.

In addition to the big bats, Bryan also got plenty of help on defense thanks to timely pitching from starter Emily Peirce, reliever Hannah Parker and Game 2 starter Jones who came in to close the game out.

The Lady Vikings will face the winner of the Tomball-Austin High series, which is being played today in Bryan.

Temple 5, Bryan 4

Bryan 000 400 0 -- 4 4 2

Temple 101 021 x -- 5 8 2

Brittney Jones and Reagan Boenker. Lexi Smith and Jenna Bane.

W - Smith. L - Jones

Highlights: Bryan - Meagan Kraatz 2-4, 2B, 3B, 2 RBIs, run; Boenker 1-1, 2B, RBI; Erica Russell run, Taylor Dohnalik run, Brooke Parker run. Temple - Bane 3-4, 3 runs; Kaegan Jimenez 0-2, RBI; Samantha Pajestka 2-2, run.

Bryan 9, Temple 4

Bryan 100 710 0 -- 9 12 1

Temple 000 130 0 -- 4 10 1

Emily Peirce, Hannah Parker (5), Brittney Jones (5) and Reagan Boenker. Lexi Smith and Jenna Bane.

W - Peirce. L - Smith

Highlights - Bryan: Patty Gorzycki 2-3, 3 runs; Megan Kraatz 2-4, 2 2B, RBI, run; Peirce 3-4, 2B, RBI, run; Boenker 0-2, RBI, run; Roxy Alvarado 1-4, RBI, run; Jones 3-4, 2B, 3B, 2 RBIs, run; Erica Russell 2-4, 2B, RBI, run. Temple: Kaegan Jimenez 2-4, 3B, run; Sarah Truelove 2-4, run; Smith 2-4, 2B, 3B, run; Andelyn Irons 3-4, 2 2B, 4 RBIs.