Dewar High School’s fast pitch softball team traveled to Depew to compete for the title of regional championship. Despite battling hard, the Lady Dragons earned a regional record of 1-2, dashing their hopes of taking home the regional championship.

The Lady Dragons blanked in the first game against Stonewall High School’s Lady Longhorns, earning their first loss 7-0. However, the Lady Dragons didn’t go down without a fight, defeating Gans High School’s Lady Grizzlies in a 14-4 smack-down. After battling all season for a spot at regionals, Dewar High School’s fast pitch softball team faced off in a regionals only to lose in a heartbreaking 4-3 game against Depew High School’s Lady Hornets.

Facing off against the Lady Longhorns first, the Lady Dragons had a tough time getting players home and landing solid hits. In the first inning, the Lady Dragons already faced a 1-0 deficit when they stepped up to bat. Striking out the first two players in their lineup, the Lady Longhorns quickly shut the Lady Dragons down with a third out.

Down 1-0, the Lady Dragons upped their defense in the second inning, preventing the Lady Longhorns from earning runs with three consecutive outs, including one strikeout thrown by Lady Dragon pitcher Skylar Randall, keeping the score at 1-0.

Though the Lady Dragons were able to hold back the Lady Longhorns, their time at bat left one player with no runs. Staejha Mack smacked a single at the bottom of the batting lineup, but was stopped from making it to home by a third out.

Still at 1-0 in the third inning, the Lady Longhorns broke away from the Lady Dragon’s defense to earn their second run of the game. The Lady Longhorns earned an advantage of 2-0, and almost made another run before the Lady Dragons ended the inning with two consecutive outs.

Now facing a Lady Hornet lead of 2-0, the Lady Dragons needed to make a move towards home plate in the fourth inning, but were yet again stumped. The Lady Longhorns swiftly earned three outs, including two strikeouts and a pop fly, keeping their advantage into the fourth inning. Dishing out a similar play, the Lady Dragons shut down the Lady Hornet’s batting lineup with strikes from Randall and a fielder’s choice.

However, their efforts would be in vain when they stepped up to bat in the fifth inning. Similar to previous innings, the Lady Dragons were stuck on base. Two outs at the top of the inning, left the Lady Dragons very little room to score runs. Randall would be the first Lady Dragon of the inning to smack a single, placing herself on first base. Lady Dragon Autumn Campbell quickly followed with a single of her own. With two Lady Dragons poised on base, Mack stepped up to bat, grounding out into the third out.

After another devastating inning with no runs, the Lady Dragons watched as their chances of overturning a Lady Hornet lead slipped away. The Lady Longhorns earned another three runs in the fifth inning. Two errors helped the Lady Longhorns mack it to home, but the Lady Dragons ended the inning on their terms with three consecutive outs.

Down 5-0, the Lady Dragons still couldn’t make a solid play towards home. Lady Dragon started the inning strong with a single, but the Lady Longhorns prevented the Lady Dragons from getting anymore players on base. Leaving the Lady Dragons once again with no runs.

The sixth inning played out similar to the fifth inning with the Lady Longhorns scoring two more runs, while also stopping the Lady Dragons short at bat. The Lady Dragons let slip two runs at the top of the Lady Longhorns lineup in the sixth inning, but their defense quickly picked up earning three straight outs. The Lady Dragons faced a 7-0 lead stepping up to bat in the sixth inning. They tried to get runners to home with Skye Been smacking a single along with Talyn Been. With two players on base, Lady Dragon Morgan Britt earned a free base from a walk. The Lady Dragons had the bases loaded but they couldn’t get their three runners to home before the Lady Longhorns struck out for the last out.

After their shutout loss, the Lady Dragons rallied for their next game against the Gans Lady Grizzlies.

Starting the first inning swinging with all their might, the Lady Dragons obtained a 2-0 lead. Defensively, the Lady Dragons were able to shutdown the Lady Grizzlies swiftly, earning three straight outs.While offensively the Lady Dragons also dominated, Savannah Been stepped up to hit a bunt during the first inning. She was the first Lady Dragon to get on base, but was quickly followed by Morgan Britt hitting a single. With two runners on base, the Lady Dragons cleaned up, sending both Savannah and Morgan to home.

Already ahead 2-0, the Lady Dragons maintained their advantage, despite the Lady Grizzlies keeping them at bay during the second inning. Though their opponents kept them from scoring or putting runners on base, the Lady Dragons answered with a swift third inning also. Randall started out strong with a strikeout, but two walks gave the Lady Grizzlies a slight advantage. However, a fly ball and another strikeout by Randall ended the inning before the Lady Grizzlies could get their runners to home.

After a no-run inning, the Lady Dragons obliterated any chance the Lady Grizzlies had of a comeback. The Lady Grizzlies walked Savannah putting her on first base, while Lady Dragon Noe Corbin delivered her first single of the game. With two runners on base, Randall smacked a double that helped send Britt and Corbin home. The Lady Dragons added two runs to their lead but weren’t close to being done. With Randall on base, Mack hit a single to place herself on first. Once again the Lady Dragons had two runners poised on first and second base, and Carter delivered a triple that would advance the Lady Dragons’ score by five runs. However, the Lady Dragons would tack on one last run before the Lady Grizzlies ended the inning.

The Lady Dragons had an astounding inning, earning six runs and advancing their lead to 8-0. The Lady Grizzlies, however, would finally get on the scoreboard in the fourth inning. The Lady Grizzlies snuck three runs by the Lady Dragons, making the score 8-3.

While the Lady Grizzlies advanced their score, the Lady Dragons had a tough time at bat. Slapping a double, Britt was the first Lady Dragon to get on base. Corbin also stepped up to bat to hit a double advancing Britt to third base. However, Corbin didn’t stay on base long before the Lady Grizzlies got her out, but it wasn’t in vain- Britt made it home for a run.

Still ahead 9-3, the Lady Dragons had lost their shutout win and the Lady Grizzlies weren’t done yet. In the fifth inning, they would earn another run before Randall shutdown their at bat with two consecutive strikes.

Leading by a margin of five runs, the Lady Dragons blanked in the fifth inning, resulting in the score staying at 9-4.

However, the Lady Dragons didn’t stay down for long. The sixth inning sealed the Lady Grizzlies fate with the Lady Dragons racking up five runs. Savannah ended the game as she started it - with a bunt. Her fellow teammate followed suit with Britt hitting her second single of the game. With two runners on base, Randall once again delivered a double to earn two RBIs for her team. Ahead 11-4, the Lady Dragons scored three more runs before the Lady Grizzlies slowly ended the inning.

The Lady Dragons defense ended the game with three consecutive outs, shutting down the game and walking off the field victors of a 14-4 win.

After a defeat and a win, the Lady Dragons moved on to compete against the Depew Lady Hornets, submitting to a devastatingly close 4-3 defeat officially ending their bid towards state.

The Lady Dragons went into the first inning with a tough defense, holding back the Lady Hornets, who had previously lost to the Stonewall Lady Longhorns 3-1. Randall started with a determination, striking out two of the Lady Hornets’ players, while the Lady Dragons’ defense picked up the other out off a grounder.

Holding back the Lady Hornets with three outs and no hits, the Lady Dragons went up to bat, and almost had a more successful inning. Skye Been hit a fly at the top of the lineup, but Savannah Been followed it with a free base from a walk. Savannah was poised on base and would make it to third but the Lady Dragons didn’t have the chance to send her home. The Lady Hornets completed the inning with another two outs.

The score was stalled at 0-0 with neither team getting players to home, and the Lady Dragons were able to keep it that way in the second inning. Despite giving the Lady Hornets a single, the Lady Dragons ensured that their opponent’s runner wouldn’t make it to home. The Lady Dragons’ defense obtained three outs in a row to end the inning, turning it over to their offense.

Though the Lady Dragons were able to knock down any offensive moves from the Lady Hornets, they faced challenges at bat once again. Two outs started the inning for the Lady Dragons, but a walk would give Mack a free base. With one player on base, the Lady Dragons had a small chance of earning a run; however, the Lady Hornets caught a fly ball for the third out.

With the score still at 0-0, the Lady Hornets broke the no-run streak with their first run in the third inning. The Lady Dragons let go one single, allowing the Lady Hornets the chance they needed to get a runner to home. After earning a single, Randall stepped up to strikeout the next batter but it wasn’t enough. The Lady Hornets were already on a roll, hitting another two singles before the Lady Dragons offense shut them down with two outs from fly balls.

The Lady Dragons now faced a one-run deficit but they didn’t back down in the third inning. The Lady Hornets’ pitcher walked Talyn Been, which gave the Lady Dragons the advantage they needed to even out the score. Talyn ran to home with the help of her teammates. Two strikeouts broke up the Lady Dragons batting, but not for long. Britt hit a single followed by a double from Corbin. The Lady Dragons had the bases loaded and the Lady Hornets provided them a free base and a run, walking the Lady Dragons’ pitcher Randall. However, Britt would fall into an out at home, leading to the Lady Dragons’ third out of the inning.

The Lady Dragons had tied the game 1-1. Going into the fourth inning, the Lady Dragons’ defense began to slip, allowing the Lady Hornets more chances to score. The Lady Hornets earned a single, which was followed with a walk. With two players on base, they tacked on two more runs to their score and advanced their lead. The Lady Dragons quickly ended the inning after that with two outs in a row.

Down 3-1, the Lady Dragons offense missed their chance to tie the game or take over the lead in the fourth inning. A turbulent start of two straight outs left the Lady Dragons with a small chance to score. Carter hit a single, almost providing the Lady Dragons with a chance to earn a run, but the Lady Hornets struck out Talyn Been for the last out of the inning.

Still trailing behind the Lady Hornets 3-1, the Lady Dragons watched as the Lady Hornets increased their lead in the fifth inning. Tacking on one run, the Lady Hornets were now ahead 4-1, while the Lady Dragons blanked at bat getting three consecutive outs.

Heading into the sixth inning, the Lady Dragons faced a three-run deficit and made sure that the Lady Hornets didn’t earn anymore runs. The Lady Dragons made some great defensive moves to end the inning and earn outs.

Stepping up to bat, the Lady Dragons took advantage of the Lady Hornets no-run inning to earn two runs of their own. A walk provided the Lady Dragons with the opening they needed while a single hit by Randall solidified their chance at earning runs. With two players on base, the Lady Dragons got Randall and Corbin to home despite slowly earning outs from sacrifice fly balls and groundouts.

Advancing the score to 4-3, the Lady Dragons had one last chance in the top of the seventh to earn runs and tie the game. However, the Lady Hornets shut them down before they could, leaving the score at a heartbreakingly close 4-3.

The Lady Dragons had an outstanding season with an overall record of 23-14 and were ranked 16th by OSSAA in the Class A division.