High school softball roundup: Boswell secures big win, more from Fort Worth-area

The UIL high school softball regular season is nearing its end, and many Fort Worth-area squads competed in important games on Tuesday. Some are playing for top spots in district while others are attempting to keep playoff hopes alive.

Boswell defeats Trinity, moves into first place

Boswell softball cruised to a 6-0 victory against district rival Euless Trinity on Tuesday at Boswell High School.

The win catapulted Boswell (11-2 District 3-6A) into a first place tie with Trinity. The two 6A squads split their season series with Trinity securing a 3-2 extra innings victory on March 22, 2024.

“I feel like the energy was great,” Boswell softball head coach Carrie Stidham said. “We’ve been having really good practices. Just keeping it light hearted, not over-complicating it and trying to make the game bigger than us. Just staying focused and reminding them to be poised through a high moment and a low moment. Just maintaining our process.”

The Pioneers dominated the rematch with the help of Harley Malone, who tossed a complete game shutout. Malone struck out eight batters and walked five. She gave up one hit due to an infield miscommunication, thriving from start to finish against a solid Trojan offense.

Stidham said the keys to Malone’s strong outing were a strong trust in the defense and a focus on the present moment. In the first inning, first baseman Danielle Bohanon spoke with Malone following a hit batter; Malone was lights out the rest of the way.

“We really encourage one pitch at a time,” Stidham said. “Don’t overthrow. Throw one pitch. It was good work.”

Layla David tallied a team high two hits while right fielder Zoe Hawthorne had a strong showing with two RBIs. Six players registered a hit for the Pioneers, who registered a four run third inning with three consecutive two out base hits.

With on district game remaining before the playoffs, Boswell softball is “exactly where it deserves to be” according to Stidham. Boswell will face Paschal in a road game on Friday to close the regular season.

Pioneer softball is “keeping its eye on the prize” and is looking to keep improving. In 2023, Boswell was eliminated in the regional quarterfinals by Southlake Carroll.

“We haven’t peaked yet,” Stidham said. “And so I’m good with that. And I like the fact that they’re working hard and they’re hungry. They’re fighting and they’re grinding. They’re celebrating each other. They let mistakes go and lift each other up.”

Burleson Centennial pitcher near perfect in win over Joshua

Burleson Centennial pitcher Bailey Lindemuth threw six and two-thirds perfect innings in the circle and helped her own cause with a two-run home run as the Spartans downed Joshua 4-0 in a District 8-5A softball game at Joshua High School.

“She was so close,” said Centennial coach Natalie Mullin on Lindemuth’s performance on the mound. “She pitched amazing.”

Lindemuth finished giving up two hits and striking out nine.

It was a huge game for both teams with Centennial (22-6 overall, 14-1 district) keeping its hopes of a district title alive with the win. The Spartans will host Midlothian (22-9, 13-1) on Friday, trying to avenge an 11-9 loss to the Panthers on March 23.

Midlothian’s lone district loss was to Joshua, 7-2, last Tuesday.

“I think this game set us up for exactly what we needed heading into the game with Midlo on Friday,” said Mullin. “Executing plays and just anything that we can do to create havoc and make them thrown the ball around.”

Joshua (23-8, 12-3) was hoping to create chaos at the top of the 8-5A standings if the Owls could have pulled out the win. The Owls were on a bit of a roll, winning seven games in a row, including the win over Midlothian last week.

As it is, the Owls will almost certainly be the third seed heading into the playoffs that start a week from Thursday.

Both pitchers were stellar early Joshua’s Catie Amador going toe to toe with Lindemuth.

Amador ran into trouble in the third inning when Lexie Arthur led off with a lined single to center. Following an out, Ryanne Stephens reached on an infield single to short and Madison Haynes walked to load the bases.

But Amador worked out of the jam by getting a comebacker to retire Arthur at the plate and then got Lindemuth to fly out to left to end the inning.

Centennial touched up Amador for four unearned runs in the fifth. Arthur reached on an error and Alyssa Mayner followed with a dribbler up the middle that glanced off the glove of Tori Bennett at second base for a single.

Arthur went to third on the play and Mayner moved up to second on the thrown home. Stephens then hit sharp grounder to first base, but the throw home was too late and Arthur scored to give Centennial a 1-0 lead.

Amador struck out Haynes for the first out of the inning, but Liv Martin followed with a shot to center field that Joshua’s Zaidyn Streeter made a great catch on, tumbling into the wall. Mayner scored to make it 2-0 Spartans.

Lindemuth followed with a towering shot to center field to up the lead to 4-0.

“I’ve really gotten better about staying in my legs and I was just waiting on the right pitch,” said Lindemuth, a senior, who will also be in the circle on Friday against Midlothian. “We had a lot of energy coming in to this game knowing that it wasn’t going to be easy. We had to keep our energy up and be selective.”

Lindemuth cruised until the seventh and got two outs on her first two pitches of the inning, both on unassisted grounders to first base. Amador ended Lindemuth’s perfect night by lining a single to right, just out of the reach of Arthur at second base.

Kylie White followed with a chopper up the middle for Joshua to put two on with two out, but Lindemuth fanned Kendyl Lay for the final out.

“We worked really hard on executing our plays and trusting the process and tonight it truly showed that,” said Mullin. “It’s what we’ve been working on all season. It was a great team win.”

Keller finishes District 4-6A without a blemish to take the crown

The Keller softball team completed a perfect 12-0 run through District 4-6A with a 3-0 win over Keller Timber Creek on Tuesday at Keller High School.

Keller (21-7-2 overall) has a bye to end the district slate and will now wait for the playoffs to start as the top seed out of 4-6A. The bi-district round begins on April 25.

Sadie Beck, one of two seniors on the roster, was stellar on the mound for the Indians on Senior Night. Beck tossed a complete game shutout scattering five hits and striking out eight with no walks.

Senior Maggie Crowe made a nice running catch in center field for Keller in the third.

In Keller’s half of the second inning, Landry Beaman drew a one-out walk and Addi Clark followed with a ground single to center. With two out, Cambree Cribbs reached on an infield single to load the bases and Mackenna Jackson made it 1-0 with another infield hit to short.

Back-to-back bases loaded walks to Lauren Kavanaugh and Beck pushed the lead to 3-0. That’s all the cushion Beck would need.

Cribbs had two of Keller’s seven hits on the night in three plate appearances. Addy McFarland and Cameron Stuhr had two hits each for the Falcons.

Timber Creek (17-12-2, 5-6) is likely headed to the playoffs as well. The Falcons will host Keller Central on Friday and a win will secure a berth, but TC can still make it with a loss to the Chargers.

Aledo escapes Azle, clinches District 5-5A championship

The Aledo Bearcats just keep winning.

Aledo softball clinched the district 5-5A championship with a 4-3 victory over Azle on Tuesday. The Bearcats are a perfect 11-0 in district play and have won 22 games in a row.

Junior Taylor McKean powered Aledo from the mound, striking out 14 batters and allowing two hits in seven innings of work. Azle was able to score three runs in the sixth inning, but only one was earned.

McKean made an error in the seventh inning, but struck out three batters in the frame to slam the door shut on the Hornets. Addie Perry led the offense with a base hit and a team high two RBIs.