Look: Walk-off lifts Weimar to Texas (UIL) 2A state softball title over Como-Pickton
AUSTIN, Texas — Paige Pavlu has long dreamed about delivering the walk-off hit to win a state championship. On Wednesday, her moment arrived.
The Weimar senior's line drive single to center field drove in the junior Izzy Reeves from second in the bottom of the seventh to lift Weimar over Como-Pickton 4-3 to win the Texas (UIL) Class 2A state softball title.
Pavlu felt prepared when she stepped into the batter's box with two outs. She let two low strikes go by, waiting on her pitch.
"I knew the third one was going to be outside," Pavlu said. "I was in an 0-2 count, I scooted up in the plate and just went with the pitch."
Como-Pickton (38-3) scored two runs in the third to take a 3-1 lead and the Wildcats (40-6-1) played much of the game from behind, but were kept in the game by a strong complete game start from senior Reagan Wick, who struck out eight and gave up eight hits, two earned runs and three walks in a winning effort.
Weimar answered with a run in the bottom of the third to pull within one. The Wildcats carried that deficit into the bottom of the seventh, when Reeves singled to left field and advanced to scoring position. Como-Pickton intentionally walked sophomore Taylor Smith with two outs, setting up Pavlu's heroics.
"No matter what, we were down by one, we were coming back today," Pavlu said.
As Pavlu rounded first base and saw Reeves score the winning run in a crowd of celebrating teammates, she became flooded with emotions.
"I didn't have words," Pavlu said. "I just started crying. Knowing the whole (Weimar) community was behind us the entire time, it's an amazing feeling that no matter what the outcome of this game was, that everybody would be behind us."
