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Horn completes undefeated run to 11-5A crown in thrilling fashion
By DEVIN HASSON, dhasson@starlocalnews.com
Horn and Mesquite spent the entire 11-5A season in a two-team battle for the district championship, culminating with a head-to-head showdown on the final day of the regular season.
The Jaguars and Skeeters packed a year's worth of drama into two hours, particularly in the later innings.
But in a game that featured a little of everything, the final play of the game might have been the night's most unexpected.
Horn finished the 11-5A season as the outright champions as they complete a 10-0 run to the title. Mesquite had to settle with an 8-2 district mark and it will be the second seed when the playoffs begin next week.
The Skeeters were down to their last out in the bottom of the seventh before rallying to tie the game at 6-6 and force extra innings on a RBI single by Bailey Stokes.
But as it has done all season long, Horn rose to the challenge. Hayley LeMonds, who had earlier tripled and hit a home run, drew a walk and advanced to third on a base hit by Colleen Harrison, who was nabbed at first at the tail end of the play.
Dupree broke the tie with a run-scoring single to center and then scored when Aubree Turbeville doubled to make it 8-6. Kaitlyn Stinson followed with a sacrifice fly to give the Jaguars a three-run lead.
Ashley Moore, who went all eight innings to get the win, retired the first two hitters she faced in the bottom of the frame, but then Elizabeth Smith singled and Jonita Brown walked to bring the tying run to the plate. However, Lindy Kennedy would not get that chance, as the pickoff at first ended it.
The Jaguars won the first meeting, 11-3, and appeared on their way to another comfortable victory.
LeMonds led off the game with an inside-the-park home run for Horn, but Mesquite was able to match that in the bottom of the inning when Victoria Bice's double scored Victoria Hunter to tie the game at 1-1.
The Jaguars took control for the next few innings.
Andrea Trevino reached to lead off the fourth, was moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Moore and scored on a two-out single by Kelsea Fite. LeMonds followed with a RBI triple to give Horn a 3-1 lead.
The Jaguars added to that in the top of the fifth, as Dupree doubled, Stinson tripled and Trevino had a run-scoring ground out to make it 5-1.
Moore was in control on the mound, retiring 11 in a row at one point, but Mesquite's bats finally woke up in the bottom of the sixth.
Kennedy singled in the middle of a pair of walks to Brown and Bice to load the bases with one out. Stokes then smoked a two-run double to pull to within 5-3. On the end of the play, though, a Mesquite runner was thrown at third base for the second out.
That would prove to be big, as after a RBI single by Halee Pryor made it a one-run game, the Skeeters loaded the bases but Moore was able to get the final out to get out of the jam.
Horn looked un-phased by the rally, as Trevino tripled to lead off the top of the seventh, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Moore to push the lead to 6-4.
Mesquite continued its charge in its last at-bat. With one out, Kennedy singled and then came around to score on a two-out double by Bice. Stokes followed with the game-tying base hit that would force extra innings tied at 6-6.
But the Jaguars had an immediate response once again, and this time, the Skeeters were unable to answer.
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