By LAMAR GAFFORD, Journal Sports
SULPHUR – Champions will always find a way to win.
Looking to send out seniors Ramsey Walker, DJ Lynch and Baylee Blackburn with a perfect four-for-four mark as high schoolers, Calvary withstood a fierce effort from Houma Christian for a 10-9 win in the Division III select championship game Saturday.
The Lady Cavs become the ninth Louisiana softball program to win at least four straight titles.
“At this point in the season, a win is a win,” Calvary coach Tiffany Wood said. “However it takes, whatever it takes. We got behind and we never fell down. We just found ways to inch through and pull it off.”
Walker was named the game’s Most Outstanding Player by going 2-for-4 with three RBI from a fourth-inning home run that put Calvary (36-2) back even, tied at 6-6 after trailing 6-1. On the following at-bat, freshman outfielder Carlie Guile gave the champs their first lead of the game with a solo home run.
“We talked about sparks all weekend,” Wood said. “We talked about setting sparks and setting it on fire. To be able to have people get on to set a spark, that big home run kept it going.”
Walker added, “I was just up there trying to get on. (When I rounded second), I was like, ‘We’re in it! Let’s win this thing!’”
While Houma Christian (23-10) regained the lead in the top of the fifth thanks to back-to-back RBI doubles by seniors Jadyn Yesso and Hailey Henry, the Lady Cavs turned to Lynch and Walker to regain the lead.
That they did in the bottom of the sixth when Lynch tied it at 8-8 with a single and Walker made it 9-8 after the Lady Crusaders made an error on her fly ball. A sac fly by eighth grader Baylor Bockhaus to drive in Lynch gave Calvary insurance with a 10-8 lead.
“It was just a good game all around,” Lynch said. “Everybody did their job and everybody was great.”
A Yesso single helped Houma Christian get within one, but Kynzee Anderson retired the final two batters for the win.
Yesso finished the game by going 4-for-5 with two doubles and three RBI as Houma Christian returned to the championship game for the first time since 2009, when it was in Class B.
It also took Calvary a while to get it going in the semifinal Friday against Notre Dame (27-7) as it faced a 1-0 deficit in the fourth inning.
However, the Lady Cavs took the lead in the fourth and home runs by Bockhaus, Mallory Carver and Elana Franks helped it build an 8-1 lead.
While the Lady Pios cut the deficit, Calvary was able to hold on 8-5 to advance to the title game.
Contact LaMar at lamargafford@gmail.com