Hanson advances in Division IV after dramatic win

Casey Fitzgerald smacked the walk-off homerun while Baylee Young clubbed a pair of homers in the Hanson Memorial Lady Tigers’ dramatic 12-9 eight-innings victory over the Houma Christian Lady Warriors in the Division IV regional game played Saturday at the Hanson Memorial Girls Softball Complex.
The Hanson Lady Tigers earned a berth into the Louisiana High School Athletic Association State Softball Tournament against Cedar Creek on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at Frasch Park in Sulphur.
No. 6 seed Hanson Memorial set the scene for Fitzgerald’s shot heard around the city by building an early 8-1 advantage in what turned out to be an edge-of-your-seat thriller.
Winning pitcher Baylee Young led the Lady Tigers to a 6-0 advantage after three complete innings. Baylee Young helped her own cause by smacking a two-run bomb in the first inning along with a solo blast in the third frame.
Young pitched 7.1 innings to earn the win in the circle, allowing eight runs (six earned) on six hits with one strikeout and five walks. Ashlee Meyerholtz worked two-thirds of a frame, giving up one earned run on one hit with a pair of walks.
Houma Christian’s Michaela Rousey suffered the loss, working 7.1 innings, surrendering 12 runs (11 earned) with one strikeout.
The Lady Tigers collected 12 runs on 15 hits with one error while Houma Christian scored nine runs on seven hits with one error.
Leading hitters for the Hanson Lady Tigers were: Casey Fitzgerald, 3 for 5, 3-run walk off home run, 2 runs, 4 RBI; Kaylee Broussard, 2 for 4, 2 runs; Allyssa Young, 1 for 3, triple, run, 2 RBI; Lunden Verdin, 3 for 4, double, run, 2 RBI; Baylee Young, 2 for 4, 2-run homer, solo blast, 2 runs, 3 RBI; Noel Baker, 1 for 4, double, run; Ashlee Meyerholtz, 1 for 4, run and Camille Baker, 1 for 4, 2 runs.
Hanson opened with a 5-0 lead in the first frame highlighted by Baylee Young’s 2-run blast along with a double by Noel Baker.
Casey Fitzgerald reached on a single before swiping second base and moving to third on single by Kaylee Broussard. Fitzgerald later gave Hanson a 1-0 lead after she tagged home plate on a sacrifice fly from Allyssa Young. Lunden Verdin delivered Broussard, giving Hanson a 2-0 advantage. Baylee Young belted her 2-run bomb to hand the Lady Tigers a 4-0 cushion. A short time later, Noel Baker doubled and touched home plate on Ashlee Meyerholtz’s RBI single as the Lady Tigers built a comfortable 5-0 advantage.
In the third inning, Baylee Young lined her second homer, sending the Lady Tigers ahead by a 6-0 lead.
Houma Christian collected its first run of the game in the top half of the fifth innings, trailing Hanson by a 6-1 deficit.
In the bottom half of the fifth inning, Hanson increased its lead to 8-1 with when Kaylee Broussard and Allyssa Young circled the base paths. Broussard reached on a single and scored on Allyssa Young’s RBI-triple. Young later tagged home plate on Lunden Verdin’s RBI-single, giving Hanson an 8-1 lead.
Houma Christian’s Jada Ward brought her team back with a grand slam in the top half of the sixth inning as the Lady Warriors pulled within one run of the Lady Tigers at 8-7.
Hanson manufactured one run in the bottom half of the sixth frame when Camille Baker reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second base, before scoring on an RBI-double by Casey Fitzgerald as Hanson took a 9-7 lead.
Houma Christian struck for two more runs in the top half of the nail-biting contest, knotting the game at 9-9.
Hanson had a golden opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the seventh inning but couldn’t quite cash in when Lunden Verdin was thrown out at home plate for the final out of the inning forcing the game into extra innings.
Hanson closed out the drama-filled contest with Casey Fitzgerald’s three-run blast in the bottom half of the eighth inning.
Ashlee Meyerholtz reached on an error before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by Meagan LeBlanc. Camille Baker lined a single, putting runners in scoring position. Casey Fitzgerald ripped the shot heard around the city with her 3-run walkoff homer in the bottom of the eighth inning, giving the Hanson Memorial Lady Tigers a 12-9 comeback victory over the Houma Christian Lady Warriors.
No. 6 seed Hanson Memorial will head to the Division IV quarterfinals at Frasch Park in Sulphur to play against No. 3 seed Cedar Creek Thursday at 2:30 p.m. on Field 19.