It looked like all was lost after a grand slam by Grant's Chesney Welch but No. 3 Sam Houston rallied behind freshman pitcher Baylee Corbello for a 5-4 win and advance to the LHSAA Fast Pitch 56 State Softball Championships next weekend.
Corbello gave up a lead off walk to start the third inning. Grant then went to their short game with Paige Parker reaching on a bunt single. Nancy Bunting reached on an error after a bunt to load the bases. Welch then came up and belted a 2-2 pitch deep into the parking lot behind the left field fence to give the Lady Cougars a 4-1 lead. It was Welch's fourth grand slam of the year and 10th homerun of the season.
"I was (worried after the grand slam)," Sam Houston head coach Beth Domingue said. "I have always told her (Corbello) to control what she can control. She can't control what our defense does. We didn't help her out at some points. I am proud of her for hanging in after that."
But what ever worries Domingue had Corbello ended by shutting down Grant (16-12) the rest of the game. Of the next 16 batters that she faced, Corbello sent 10 of them packing by way of strikeout and allowed just two more base runners in the game. Corbello finished with 13 strikeouts and allowed just three hits.
"I was really mad," Corbello said. "Then Kim told me 'Baylee we have your back'.
"She was like 'three runs is nothing'. Then we came back and hit and I felt so much better. My dad is always like don't show any expression and don't get mad. After you give up something like that he said go back and try to get all of them out after that."
But stopping Grant's offense was not all Corbello did. She also provided the go ahead run with a solo homerun to left field with one out in the bottom of the third. It was Corbello first homerun of her high school career.
"I was not expecting it at all," Corbello said. "I have never hit one.
"I didn’t know how to run the bases so I was just prancing."
Sam Houston put together three consecutive hits to start of the bottom of the third inning. Brooke Rozas reached on an infield single and Corbello laid down a bunt single. Kim Kennedy then ripped a 2-1 pitch to right field for a two-run triple and bring the Lady Broncos back within one run.
