2A DII State Champs: Shiner Lady Comanches

AUSTIN — One year after suffering heartbreak against the same opponent on the same stage, Shiner returned to Austin and flipped the script.

The Lady Comanches captured the UIL Class 2A Division II State Championship on Thursday afternoon at McCombs Field, defeating defending state champion Sundown 5-2 behind a dominant all-around performance from senior ace Lauren Springfield.

The victory carried extra meaning for Shiner after Sundown edged the Lady Comanches 9-8 in last year’s 2A Division II state championship game. This time, Shiner made sure the ending belonged to the Lady Comanches.

Springfield, who was named the 2A Division II State Championship Game MVP, delivered in every phase of the game for Shiner. The senior right-hander threw a complete game, allowing just two runs — only one earned — on seven hits while striking out five without issuing a walk. She also contributed at the plate with a key two-run single that helped Shiner seize control in the fifth inning.
Sundown struck first in the opening inning after Brynly Gregory reached on an infield error and later scored to give the Roughnecks a quick 1-0 lead.

The Lady Comanches settled in after the early deficit, and Springfield quickly found her rhythm in the circle. Shiner’s defense backed its ace throughout the afternoon while the offense steadily applied pressure against Sundown pitcher Destiny Garza.

Sundown extended its lead to 2-0 in the top of the third inning when Breigh Gregory lined an RBI single to center field, scoring Jaelyn Dominguez.

But the momentum shifted quickly in the bottom half of the inning.

Hailey Radicke sparked the rally after reaching base, and Addy Siegel delivered Shiner’s first big hit of the championship game with an RBI single through the left side to cut the deficit to 2-1. Moments later, Reagan Fluitt tied the game with a clutch RBI single into left-center field, evening the score at 2-2.

The Lady Comanches continued to pressure Sundown offensively and finally broke through for the decisive inning in the fifth.

After Radicke and Riley Fluitt reached base, Springfield stepped to the plate and ripped a two-run single into left-center field, scoring both runners and giving Shiner its first lead of the game at 4-2. An outfield error on the play allowed Springfield to advance into scoring position as the Shiner crowd erupted.

Later in the inning, Kloe Polasek added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Grace Nevlud and pushed the advantage to 5-2.

From there, Springfield took over.

The Shiner senior retired Sundown in order in both the sixth and seventh innings, closing out the state championship victory in dominant fashion. Springfield needed only 78 pitches to complete the game and consistently attacked the strike zone, throwing 57 strikes and keeping Sundown hitters from generating sustained rallies late in the contest.

Shiner finished with 11 hits as several Lady Comanches turned in multi-hit performances. Springfield went 3-for-3 with two RBIs, Reagan Fluitt added two hits and an RBI, and Kalli Kupka collected three hits in the championship win. Radicke scored twice at the top of the lineup, while Siegel and Polasek each drove in runs.

Sundown finished the season with a 30-5 record and battled throughout the game behind strong efforts from Breigh Gregory, who had two hits and an RBI, and Destiny Garza, who added a hit in the loss.

The championship capped an outstanding season for Shiner, which finished 32-7 and once again proved itself among the elite programs in Texas high school softball. One year after falling just short in a heartbreaking title game against Sundown, the Lady Comanches returned to Austin, earned redemption, and brought the state championship trophy back to Shiner.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7		R	H	E
Sundown	1	0	1	0	0	0	0		2	7	1
Shiner	0	0	2	0	3	0	0		5	11	5

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Top Performers

Shiner
• Lauren Springfield (MVP): 3-for-3, 2 RBI; 7 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 K
• Kalli Kupka: 3-for-3
• Reagan Fluitt: 2-for-3, RBI
• Addy Siegel: RBI single
• Hailey Radicke: 2 runs scored

Sundown
• Breigh Gregory: 2-for-3, RBI, double
• Destiny Garza: 1-for-3
• Jaelyn Dominguez: 1-for-3, run scored