Lake Travis gets past Bowie, advances to regional semifinals

DRIPPING SPRINGS – Lake Travis’ Juliana Rodriguez pitched an eightinning complete game, allowing six hits and one run, as the Cavaliers beat district rival Bowie 2-1 Friday night at Tiger Stadium. Rodriguez, a freshman, added three hits and drove in her team’s first run.

Madison Pinzon’s sharp single in the bottom of the eighth brought home Kamdyn Ingram with the winning run. Lake Travis (25-13) advances to the regional tournament after avenging a pair of District 26-6A regular-season losses to the Bulldogs two weeks ago. The Cavaliers will face Weslaco in the Region IV-6A semifinals.

“It was a great team win,” Lake Travis coach Kaycee Taylor said. “I’m so proud of this team and their resiliency and grittiness to find ways to keep winning games.”

Lake Travis scored in the bottom of the third when Rodriguez drove in leadoff hitter Jayden Cortez for a 1-0 lead. Rodriguez and Bowie pitcher Kate Bookidis traded scoreless frames until the sixth, when Bowie’s Cadie Hays’ home run evened the game 1-1. The Cavaliers broke through in the bottom of the eighth when Ingram collected her second hit of the game and came around on Pinzon’s hit.

Alyssa Lusk had two of Bowie’s hits, and Josie Busceme, Cecilia Alvidrez, Bella Nungaray and Hays had the others. Lake Travis managed nine hits, led by Rodriguez’s three.

Austin-area playoff results

Cedar Ridge vs. Schertz Clemens — Clemens 4, Cedar Ridge 3 (9); Clemens 3, Cedar Ridge 2 (Schertz Clemens wins series 2-0); Lake Travis vs. Bowie — Lake Travis 2, Bowie 1 (Lake Travis wins series 1-0, will face Weslaco in regional semifinals)

Liberty Hill vs. Smithson Valley — Smithson Valley 5, Liberty Hill 1; Liberty Hill 11, Smithson Valley 0; Liberty Hill 8, Smithson Valley 7 (Liberty Hill wins series 2-1, will face Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial in regional semifinals); Leander vs. Hays — Leander 3, Hays 1; Leander 3, Hays 1 (Leander wins series 2-0, advances to regional semifinals)

Gateway College Prep vs. Salado — Gateway 12, Salado 2; Salado 6, Gateway 0; Salado 7, Gateway 1 (Salado wins series 2-1, advances to regional semifinals); Burnet vs. Waco Robinson — Robinson 1, Burnet 0; Robinson 10, Burnet 5 (Waco Robinson wins series 2-0, advances to regional semifinals)

Thorndale vs. Thrall — Thorndale 5, Thrall 4; Thorndale 5, Thrall 1 (Thorndale wins series, will face Weimar in regional semifinals)

State tournament: Hyde Park vs. Victoria St. Joseph, 10:30 a.m. Monday, UT-Arlington (state semifinal)

JOHN GUTIERREZ/SPECIAL TO AMERICAN-STATESMAN Lake Travis softball coach Kaycee Taylor, speaking to her team after a 2022 playoff victory, will lead the Cavaliers into the Region IV-6A semifinals next week after Friday night’s 2-1 win over District 26-6A rival Bowie in the regional quarterfinals.