Jonesboro, under Marble Falls grad’s guidance, wins state title
CAPTION: Jonesboro softball coaches Cody (left) and Amanda (Thomas) LeCroy celebrate winning the Class 1A state championship with Gary and Traci Thomas, Amanda’s parents. Courtesy photo
The Jonesboro High School softball team beat Neches 3-1 May 29 to capture the 2024 Class 1A state championship.
“It feels amazing,” said head coach Amanda (Thomas) LeCroy, a 2014 Marble Falls High School graduate. “I’m so proud of our kiddos. They came ready to play and were ready to go.”
Neches scored its only run in the second inning by taking advantage of a lead-off walk and a fielder’s choice RBI.
But Jonesboro took the lead in the third inning. Lynlee Deats walked then stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Emily Turner hit a RBI triple to center field and scored on a wild pitch for the 2-1 advantage.
In the fifth inning the Lady Eagles added another run when Deats walked and stole second and third then went home on a 6-3 out by Adalyna Andrade.
Pitcher Andrade (8-0) allowed 1 earned run off 4 hits with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts in 7 innings. Neches stranded 6 runners during the contest.
“She’s been fighting through that injury all season,” LeCroy said. “She’s a great pitcher. She came off and said, ‘I didn’t pitch that well.’ We told her, ‘Your job is to get groundouts and fly balls and let the defense work behind you.'”
Meanwhile, the Lady Eagles’ 5 hits were the least they’ve recorded all season, the coach said, pointing out they average 12 a contest. She credited Neches pitcher Jessi Sumpter (16-3), who is headed to Angelina College, for that. Sumpter allowed 3 earned runs and 3 walks with 14 strikeouts. Jonesboro stranded 4 runners.
“She’s a good fastball pitcher,” LeCroy said. “They made really good plate adjustments. (My players) definitely settled in the second time through. She made us work for it and earn it.”
If the pitcher’s dream is to throw the perfect game, meaning get 27 outs without allowing a base runner, then LeCroy may be living out the coach’s dream – winning a state title in her first year as the head coach.
She confirmed the Lady Eagles were the home team during the state championship — “I finally won a (coin) flip” — and refused to take any credit or praise for the season’s ending.
“We were blessed with a great group of girls,” she said. “It wasn’t easy.”
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