It took extra innings to settle the 8A State Softball semifinal Friday afternoon at Historic Dodgertown.

Stout defense highlighted the first seven innings for both teams before back-to-back Hagerty(28-4) errors helped set the backdrop to Newsome’s game winning run in the bottom of the eighth, 1-0.

Wolves(29-3) senior Livia Chandler stepped up to the batters box with two outs and runners on first and second before smacking one out to right field.

“I kept just telling myself focus and I knew I had to put the ball in play to give my team a chance,” Chandler said.
Chandler’s hit dropped and was enough to bring in the game-winning run to seal the program’s first state championship appearance.

“It was the best feeling I’ve ever had,” Chandler says of the game winning RBI. “The best moment of my softball career, I couldn’t be happier.”

Steadying the Wolves all game long from the circle was junior Claire Feldman who allowed only five hits and struck out 11.

“I was trying to stay consistent and hold them to no runs if possible because I knew it was going to be a tough game,” Feldman said of her game plan for Hagerty.

“I knew they had a really good pitcher and I knew it was going to come down to a few runs so our defense was really crucial.”

Huskies senior pitcher Samantha Worrell struck out five and had the largest hit of the day out to the center field fence for a triple in the top of the eighth.

A combined 15 runners were left on base before Newsomes game winning hit.

The Wolves will go on to play Coral Reef in the 8A State Final Saturday at 4:35pm live on BHSN Channel 1147.