Wylie senior first baseman Ava Cook runs toward the Pirates’ dugout after recording an out during Game 1 of a Class 6A Division I bi-district playoff series against Royse City. Cook hit two home runs in Friday’s Game 2.
ROYSE CITY — The Wylie Pirates saw their season end Friday after Royse City scored 11 runs in the bottom of the third inning to win 11-3. Wylie had forced itself into a position to extend the series, but the third inning swung the game and the series the other way.
The Pirates had faced a difficult 24 hours. Their 15-game winning streak had ended the day before with a 9-5 loss in Game 1. With their season on the line, Wylie came out with urgency and took an early lead.
Senior Ava Cook blasted the second pitch of the game over the left-field wall for a quick 1-0 lead. Cook finished with three hits, two home runs, two RBIs and three runs scored in her final high school game. Gracie Gragert added a home run, and senior Amira Forbit lined an RBI single to center in the third inning. A dropped fly ball in right field during the next at-bat produced the third run and a 3-0 Wylie advantage.
Royse City answered with an 11-run surge in the bottom of the third. The rally came on a mix of timely hits and mistakes that tilted momentum away from Wylie. The Pirates could not recover, and the 11-3 loss ended their season.
Coach Heather Damron had hoped the team’s quick response after Game 1 would carry them through. The players showed fight and energy early. Still, the third inning proved decisive.
The season ends for Wylie, and several seniors leave the program after strong careers. The underclassmen return with experience and a postseason test to build on as the program looks ahead to next year.
