Burnet softball loses to Gatesville
CAPTION: Senior pitcher Presley Crawford forces Gatesville into another strikeout. Photos by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photograpy
The Burnet High School softball team lost to Gatesville 2-1 in a best-of-three Class 4A Division I bi-district series April 24-25.
The Lady Dawgs lost game one 3-1, won game two 5-3 and lost game three 13-6.
All games were hard fought as evidenced that the first and second contests needed extra innings to decide the outcome.
In game one, Burnet led 1-0 after the first inning. The Lady Hornets tied the game 1-1 in the fourth and scratched out two runs in the ninth inning for the victory.
“We had opportunities to close out the game that just didn’t land our way as it happens in softball sometimes,” Burnet head coach Ali Tippie said. “The girls played aggressively and our hits wouldn’t land. Gatesville played a good defensive game against us.”
Burnet senior pitcher Presley Crawford struck out 19 and had zero walks.
With their season the line, the Lady Dawgs arrived for game two determined to even the series.
“This team is something special with their never give-up attitude,” Tippie said. “They are scrappy and determined. That comes from their individual hearts and love for our program. Something many coaches preach about but not many are blessed with a team who actually exemplifies that characteristic like Burnet softball.”
They didn’t waiver from that, not even when Gatesville scored first in the bottom of the second inning for a 1-0 lead.
Burnet responded in the top of the third inning by plating three runs for a 3-1 lead. Still Gatesville continued to respond with a run in the fourth and another in the sixth to tie the game at 3-3.
“We made great plays in the outfield by Journey Denton, Peyton Allen and Hannah Brooks,” the coach said. “Halle Maxwell stepped up at shortstop making intense plays, Carlee Williams did her job as a leader at first base, Lacie Lewis made amazing plays.”
In the eighth inning, the Lady Dawgs plated two runs that proved to be the game winners.
“We finally were able to get on base with hits and walks by Hannah Brooks and Journey Denton,” Tippie said. “We also had clutch hits by Presley Crawford, Halle Maxwell and Abby Bennight that produced our RBIs.”
The third game was much like the series. Each team scored in the first inning with Gatesville plating a run in the second and third innings and two in the top of the fifth inning for a 5-1 lead.
Burnet answered with three runs in the fifth to trim the deficit to 5-4. But the Lady Hornets exploded for six runs in the sixth inning and two more in the seventh.
The Lady Dawgs scored two in the seventh inning.
One defensive highlight for the Lady Dawgs was by Lewis, who made “a diving foul ball catch,” the coach said.
The Lady Hornets had 16 hits in the contest.
“We fought hard and there were some opportunities we fell short on,” Tippie said. “Presley had a total of 381 pitches in the series, but she fought through and was determined to advance her team. The game was not lost because of our girls, but it was determined by uncontrollable factors.”
Burnet finishes the 2025 season with a 12-14-1 overall record, 7-5
Tippie said what she’ll remember about these Lady Dawgs are the traits that come from their character.
“This team has heart that you can not coach them into having,” she said. “They are warriors and have a competitive fun edge to them. They love each other and love the game of softball. It was my most memorable season as a coach, and I would not trade it for anything despite the fact our season was cut short.”
CAPTION: Senior Cora Everett puts the ball in play to force Gatesville into a quick decision. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography
