Lexi Falde lived up to the accolades on Wednesday evening in Mansfield Christian’s district semi final match up against the Plymouth Big Red at Shelby High School. The Flames picked up a 6-1 victory to advance.
The junior and recent statewide selection for the JJ Huddle Softball Player of the Week fired a one hitter. And a complete game later, the Lady Flames will be playing for the District Championship thanks to her efforts. Falde struck out 16 Big Red batters including a stretch of 10 strikeouts of 13 batters faced.
She gained most of her strikeouts on inside fastballs, which had the Big Red batters turning their backs to the pitch. The Flames ace surrendered just one hit and one run in seven innings of work.
The lone Plymouth hit came from Brooke Thornsberry in the top of the first inning, scoring lead off batter Morgan Fletcher. Fletcher was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Thornsberry’s solid liner into left field gave the Big Red an early lead. The momentum would ultimately end there and the Big Red would not score again.
Plymouth’s own flamethrower Addyson Horne did not seem to have another no hitter in her pocket – she has thrown two this year. The Flames were playing in the shadow of the 16 strike out performance she put up against them earlier in the season. The Flames roughed her up for seven hits and six runs and limited their total strikeouts to seven.
The Big Red struggled on defense committing six total errors, with one error coming during a pickle between third and home that led to a Mansfield Christian run.
Falde also had a great day at the plate, collecting three hits, all singles, and scoring 3 runs.
Juniors Rachel Pfeiffer and Madi Jackson each added a hit and an RBI apiece. Freshman Kilee Stoner had a great day in the nine spot for the Lady Flames going one for one with a single, a sacrifice bunt, a walk, and two RBIs.
Senior Mariah Stearns had perhaps the hardest hit ball of the night, a deep drive over the left fielders head for the game’s lone double. She would later score. Junior Hope Dials and sophomore Ni Virden each contributed a hit.
On the night, the Flames added seven hits and six runs.
The Flames advance to the District Finals in a match up that pits them against the Seneca East Lady Tigers on Friday evening at Shelby High School with a trip to the Regionals on the line. The game will be played at 5 p.m.
