Pearland holds off San Benito, advances to Texas (UIL) 6A softball championship
The count was 1-2. Abigail Gutierrez's final pitch zipped by Bethany Aguilar's eyes and painted the outside left corner of the strike zone. Pearland had two outs and San Benito and the tying run on on first.
Instead, Gutierrez's final strike ended the game. She retired two batters in the top of the seventh inning to secure Pearland a spot in the Texas (UIL) Class 6A state softball title.
Pearland, fended off a San Benito team that nearly pieced together a no-hitter, 3-2 at University of Texas' Red and Charline McCombs Field in Austin on Friday in front of a tournament record 1,407 spectators.
Pearland's first hit came with two outs left in the sixth inning. It scored all three of its runs without giving up a hit to San Benito pitchers Amira Rodriguez and Emily Danielle Delgado.
Senior outfielder Leila Jo Lopez sent a line drive bouncing off the Pearland glove of the second baseman to get on in the top of the seventh.
San Benito put the first run on the board in the opening inning. Pearland answered in the bottom of the fifth, putting runners on base and sending three runs in on a wild pitch, a sacrifice fly and a failed pickoff attempt.
Gutierrez finished gave up four hits, one earned run and two walks opposite five strikeouts in a complete game start.
The Oilers (40-3) will face the winner of Denton Guyer and Cypress Bridgeland on Saturday at 4 p.m. Pearland last reached the playoffs in 2016 and have won two state championships in program history. Their last title was in 2010.
